Klauzula rebus sic stantibus a koronawirus

Rozprzestrzenienie się epidemii koronawirusa wpływa w istotny sposób na funkcjonowanie wielu uczestników obrotu gospodarczego. W przypadku szeregu całych branż obowiązujące zakazy spowodowały spadek przychodów do zera. Przedsiębiorcy związani wieloletnimi umowami coraz częściej upatrują rozwiązania problemu poprzez odwołanie się do klauzuli rebus sic stantibus (art. 357¹ KC). Niniejszy wpis jest zarysem istotnych zagadnień związanych z jej potencjalnym zastosowaniem.

Dowód przebywania pozwanego pod adresem wskazanym w pozwie w świetle art. 139¹ KPC

Na mocy ustawy z 4 lipca 2019 r. o zmianie ustawy – Kodeks postępowania cywilnego oraz niektórych innych ustaw (Dz. U. z 2019 r. poz. 1469) wprowadzono istotne zmiany w procedurze doręczenia pozwu. Celem nowej regulacji było ukrócenie praktyki prowadzenia sporów zaocznych w sytuacji, kiedy pozwany, formalnie prawidłowo zawiadomiony po dwukrotnej awizacji, nie wiedział nawet o toczącym się procesie. W dobie powszechnej migracji ludności oraz braku istnienia rejestru adresów do doręczeń dla osób fizycznych ustalenie miejsca przebywania pozwanego może okazać się istotną przeszkodą dla powoda. Znowelizowana procedura, jakkolwiek eliminuje patologiczne quasi- procesy bez udziału pozwanego, stanowi zarazem furtkę do jego skutecznego przedłużenia.

Amended Polish Industrial Property Law

According to the new regulations implemented into the Polish Industrial Property Act, the trademark rights holders will have more tools to fight against trademarks infringers.

In addition to extension of the trademark definition, these amendments also apply to the revolutionary – in our opinion – setting of the liability of entities providing services to infringers of trademark rights.

Polish authorities have shut down a factory in Koronowo, near the city of Bydgoszcz capable of making millions of counterfeit medicines. Over 100,000 counterfeit erectile dysfunction pills were seized along with 430,000 vials of steroids of all brands. It is thought that the factory would have distributed counterfeits worth "at least tens of millions of zlotys." Poland's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBSP) said in a statement (in Polish) that the illicit unit - which contained 48 machines used for manufacturing, packing and printing boxes and labels - is thought to be largest illegal pharmaceutical factory ever discovered by enforcement agencies. The seized equipment made up an entire pharma production line, and included mixers, tablet presses, coaters, blister packaging machines, cartoners and screen printers, amongst other items. Police made 19 arrests in connection with the operations of the factory. The prosecutor filed 6 motions for custody to the court. The court approved all of them. The manufacture was being run by an organised crime network. The raid at the property, which marked the culmination of an investigation lasting several months, uncovered an extensive network of hidden rooms which housed the equipment.

Warsaw Court of Appeal ruled that there is no civil liability for using in administrative proceedings confidential internal documents including trade secrets of the other party.

Within patent invalidation proceedings party "A" provided evidence including eleven internal documents of party "B", including trade secrets. These documents were provided by one of the inventors previously working for B. Court of first instance and court of appeal shared the defendant's position that patent invalidation proceedings require submitting evidence, which as such cannot be assessed from the point of view of an infringement of the principle of fair competition. Everyone with a legal interest has a right to request the invalidation of a patent. Such interest cannot be equated with economic interests within the meaning of the Act on combating unfair competition (VI ACa 1478/13).

Eric’s Rheims ip-law.pl law office to merge with Hasik and Partners. The new law firm will become one of the most significant IP law boutique firms in Poland. This merger will not only strengthen our presence on the local market but will also serve our clients, who will benefit from the experiences and resources of two top law firms. 

Since July 2014:

• we managed nearly 200 new IP cases;
• courts awarded our clients over PLN 934,000 (approx. EUR 218k) in damages for trademark infringement;
• in nearly 70% of those cases only our clients received damages and legal fees;
• 6 appeal courts quashed unfavorable judgments or upheld favorable judgments creating persuasive precedents.

After more than 3 years of criminal proceedings and the interrogation of nearly 2,000 witnesses, two manufacturers of ED drugs have been granted what is believed to be the highest award of damages in Poland against a reseller of goods bearing counterfeit trademarks. Auschwitz court ordered the defendant to pay a total of PLN 265,470 (approx. EUR 63,500) to the plaintiffs. The court additionally awarded the plaintiffs costs of proceedings. The defendant, a repeated infringer, was sentenced to two years of deprivation of liberty conditionally suspended for five years. (Case ipf12-001)

Polish Supreme Court ruled for the first time on legal issues related to the sale and advertising of counterfeit drugs. Following a cassation of Marek Sz., a convicted individual offering counterfeit erectile dysfunction drugs bearing our client’s trademarks, regarding i.a. article 165 Section 1.2. of the Polish Penal Code (pursuant to which: “Anyone who brings danger to life or health of many persons or to the property of the great value by producing or placing on the market dangerous substances, food stuffs or other goods of common use or pharmaceutical products that are not compliant with the statutory requirement of quality shall be subject to imprisonment for a period of 6 months to 8 years.”), the Supreme Court refused to consider the cassation in this regard, confirming the obvious dangers for the life and health of patients.

Warsaw court convicted 8 individuals in the case of an illegal factory for counterfeit perfumes. Back in 2012, Police arrested 9 individuals and seized 100,000 counterfeit perfumes, aromas and devices for filling and capping vials were seized. The market value of seized perfumes amounted to approx. EUR 430,000. Value of produced perfumes amounts to tens of millions of euro.  Raids also took place in other cities where printing companies (for packaging) and bottling plants are located. The action was the result of a year-long investigation. The court awarded compensatory damages to all right holders who went to court. Parties will probably file an appeal.