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UPC CoA 881/2025

18. Sept. 2025·EP3476616 +1 more: PLANOGRAPHIC PRINTING PLATE ORIGINAL PLATE, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING PLANOGRAPHIC PRINTING PLATE, AND PRINTING METHOD

Verfahrensdetails
Status
Case Closed
Verfahrensart
Berufung
Kategorie
Hauptberufung
Parteien
Kläger
Vertreter: Christof Augenstein (Kather Augenstein, Düsseldorf, Germany)
Beklagte
Vertreter: Kilian Seidel (Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Munich, Germany)
Division
Court of Appeal
Richter
Sprache
English
Erste Entscheidung
13. Juli 2026
Ansprüche
Streitig1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11
Aufrechterhalten1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11
Geändert1
Verletzt1, 10, 11
Hinweise: Claim 1 was centrally limited during appeal proceedings under Art.105b(2) EPC (EPO limitation proceedings published 19 November 2025), incorporating features of original claims 1, 2 and 7 (lightness L* 70-100, steepness a45 <=30%, surface area ΔS 20-40%). Process claims 13 and 14 were renumbered to claims 10 and 11. The Court held all Sonora plates (X, Xtra-2, Xtra-3) infringe claim 1 (direct) and claims 10 and 11 (indirect). No need to examine validity of dependent claims 2, 3, 6, 7 since claim 1 was held valid.
Entscheidungen
  • 2026-07-13
    VerletztUnterlassung angeordnetBerufungsentscheidungAppeal RoP220.1

    The Court of Appeal reversed the first-instance decision (German designation) and found EP 3 476 616 valid and infringed by Kodak's Sonora X, Sonora Xtra-2 and Sonora Xtra-3 lithographic printing plate precursors; Kodak's counterclaim for revocation was dismissed and a full injunction, damages, recall and destruction were ordered for Germany. For the UK designation (UPC_CoA_881/2025 and UPC_CoA_873/2025), Fujifilm's appeal was dismissed because Fujifilm failed to establish an infringing act by any Kodak defendant in the UK; Kodak's conditional counterclaim for revocation of the UK designation was declared unfulfilled and therefore not decided.

    Rechtsfragen:Admissibility of defence of dependent claims without auxiliary request under R.30 RoPPatentee's obligations under R.29A RoP to identify dependent claim combinationsNovelty over public prior use (Sonora X / T41 plates before priority date of 31 August 2017)Novelty over WO 2018/160379 A1 (Art. 54(3) EPC) and US 4 566 952 AInventive step starting from EP 2 878 452 A1, EP 2 594 408 A1 or JP 2015-189021 A in combination with EP 2 839 968, EP 1 614 541 A2, JP H08-144090 AScope of centrally limited claim 1 under Art. 105b(2) EPC during appeal proceedingsDirect infringement of claim 1 by Sonora X, Sonora Xtra-2 and Sonora Xtra-3 plates (Germany)Indirect infringement of method claims 10 and 11Private prior use defence under Sec. 12 German Patent Act / Art. 28 UPCAUPC jurisdiction over UK designation of EP under Art. 4 Brussels Regulation I / BSH v Electrolux (CJEU C-339/22)Conditions for non-EU/LC European patent infringement actions and appropriate exercise of jurisdictionProportionality of injunction and publication on website (Art. 80 UPCA)Penalty clauses for enforceable monetary obligations (Headnote 7)Costs allocation and interim award under R. 150.2 RoP
    Schadenersatz: 300,000
Dokumente
DokumenttitelDatumÖffentlich
action.issueOrder.order2026-07-24Nicht öffentlich
Order2026-07-24Öffentlich
Receipt2026-07-22Nicht öffentlich
Cover sheet2026-07-22Nicht öffentlich
Application Respondent2026-07-22Nicht öffentlich
action.issueOrder.order2026-07-20Nicht öffentlich
Order2026-07-20Öffentlich
Receipt2026-07-17Nicht öffentlich
Cover sheet2026-07-17Nicht öffentlich
Application Appellant2026-07-17Nicht öffentlich
action.phaseChange.caseClose2026-07-13Nicht öffentlich
Decision2026-07-13Öffentlich
Decision2026-07-13Nicht öffentlich
action.issueDecision.decision2026-07-13Nicht öffentlich
Decision2026-07-13Nicht öffentlich
action.communication.general2026-07-10Nicht öffentlich
action.phaseChange.oralPhaseClose2026-04-01Nicht öffentlich
Hearing recording reference document2026-03-31Nicht öffentlich
action.phaseChange.oralPhaseOpen2026-03-24Nicht öffentlich
action.phaseChange.interimPhaseClose2026-03-24Nicht öffentlich
action.communication.general2026-03-24Nicht öffentlich
Receipt2026-03-23Nicht öffentlich
Cover sheet2026-03-23Nicht öffentlich
Document Respondent2026-03-23Nicht öffentlich
action.communication.general2026-03-18Nicht öffentlich
action.issueOrder.order2026-03-18Nicht öffentlich
Order2026-03-18Öffentlich
Receipt2026-03-17Nicht öffentlich
Cover sheet2026-03-17Nicht öffentlich
Other document Appellant2026-03-17Nicht öffentlich
action.phaseChange.interimPhaseOpen2026-02-26Nicht öffentlich
action.phaseChange.writtenPhaseClose2026-02-26Nicht öffentlich
action.communication.general2026-02-25Nicht öffentlich
Receipt2026-02-25Nicht öffentlich
Cover sheet2026-02-25Nicht öffentlich
Statement of Response2026-02-25Nicht öffentlich
Exhibit Respondent2026-02-25Nicht öffentlich
Exhibit Respondent2026-02-25Nicht öffentlich
Exhibit Respondent2026-02-25Nicht öffentlich
Exhibit Respondent2026-02-25Nicht öffentlich
Exhibit Respondent2026-02-25Nicht öffentlich
Exhibit Respondent2026-02-25Nicht öffentlich
Exhibit Respondent2026-02-25Nicht öffentlich
Exhibit Respondent2026-02-25Nicht öffentlich
Exhibit Respondent2026-02-25Nicht öffentlich
Cover sheet2025-12-10Nicht öffentlich
Other document Respondent2025-12-10Nicht öffentlich
Receipt2025-12-10Nicht öffentlich
Cover sheet2025-12-10Nicht öffentlich
Other document Respondent2025-12-10Nicht öffentlich
Receipt2025-12-10Nicht öffentlich
action.issueOrder.order2025-12-04Nicht öffentlich
Order2025-12-04Öffentlich
Cover sheet2025-11-26Nicht öffentlich
Other document Respondent2025-11-26Nicht öffentlich
Other document Respondent2025-11-26Nicht öffentlich
Other document Respondent2025-11-26Nicht öffentlich
Receipt2025-11-26Nicht öffentlich
Cover sheet2025-11-18Nicht öffentlich
Other document Appellant2025-11-18Nicht öffentlich
Other document Appellant2025-11-18Nicht öffentlich
Statement of the Grounds of Appeal2025-11-18Nicht öffentlich
Receipt2025-11-18Nicht öffentlich
action.summons.oralHearing2025-10-21Nicht öffentlich
Summons2025-10-21Öffentlich
action.issueOrder.order2025-10-21Nicht öffentlich
Order2025-10-21Öffentlich
action.publishOrderDecision.case2025-10-21Nicht öffentlich
Other document Appellant2025-10-21Nicht öffentlich
Acknowledgement-of-lodging2025-09-18Nicht öffentlich
25-09-18_-_EP_616_-_Appeal_-_Kodak_v_Fuji_UK2025-09-18Nicht öffentlich
Angenommene Argumente
Was das Gericht akzeptiert hat — nach Partei.

  • Patentee may defend dependent claims (including combinations encompassed by the granted claims) without filing an auxiliary request under R.30 RoP; R.30 RoP applies only to amendments deviating from the granted wording

    KlägerRechtsgrundlage: R.29A RoP; R.30 RoP; Art.65(3) UPCA; Art.138(2) EPC

  • All three Sonora plate variants (Sonora X, Xtra-2, Xtra-3) directly infringe claim 1 of EP 3 476 616 as centrally limited; measurements in Analysis Report K15 are reliable and the manufacturing process is irrelevant to claim construction

    KlägerRechtsgrundlage: Art.25 UPCA; claim 1 of EP 3 476 616

  • Patent is novel: Kodak's T41/Sonora X delivery to Laserline on 12 October 2017 was after the first priority date and was a test delivery under implied confidentiality; WO'379 does not disclose features 1.3.6-1.3.8; US'952 does not disclose features 1.3.7-1.3.8

    KlägerRechtsgrundlage: Art.54 EPC

  • Patent has inventive step: starting documents EP'452, EP'408 and JP'021 do not disclose lightness L*, steepness a45 or surface area ΔS and there is no pointer to consult EP'968, EP'541, JP'459, JP'090 or JP'264 to arrive at those features

    KlägerRechtsgrundlage: Art.56 EPC

  • Kodak cannot rely on a private prior use right because it had not taken a firm and final decision to commercialise the Sonora X plate in its final composition before the priority date of 31 August 2017

    KlägerRechtsgrundlage: Sec.12 German Patent Act; Art.28 UPCA

  • UPC has jurisdiction over infringement of the UK designation pursuant to Art.4 Brussels Regulation I (defendant domiciled in Germany) as confirmed by BSH v Electrolux (CJEU C-339/22)

    KlägerRechtsgrundlage: Art.4 Brussels Regulation I; Art.71a-71b Brussels Regulation I; BSH v Electrolux (C-339/22)

  • Fujifilm failed to prove that any Kodak defendant carried out an infringing act of importing into the UK; title to attacked embodiments was retained by Kodak Ltd (UK) not Kodak Graphic, so Kodak Graphic was not importing

    BeklagterRechtsgrundlage: s.60(1)(a) Patents Act 1977; Sabaf v MFI [2002] EWCA Civ 976

  • Kodak's conditional counterclaim for revocation of the UK designation was not fulfilled because the MLD did not accept jurisdiction to decide validity of the UK designation

    BeklagterRechtsgrundlage: R.353 RoP
Zurückgewiesene Argumente
Was das Gericht nicht akzeptiert hat — und warum.

  • Patentee must file an auxiliary request under R.30 RoP in order to defend dependent claims in revocation proceedings

    BeklagterRechtsgrundlage: R.30 RoP

  • Patent lacks novelty due to public prior use by Kodak's Sonora X / T41 plates before priority date

    BeklagterRechtsgrundlage: Art.54 EPC; Sec.12 German Patent Act

  • Patent lacks novelty over WO 2018/160379 A1 because features 1.3.6-1.3.8 are implicitly disclosed via Merka reworking

    BeklagterRechtsgrundlage: Art.54(3) EPC

  • Patent lacks inventive step starting from EP'452, EP'408 or JP'021 combined with EP'968, EP'541, JP'459, JP'090 or JP'264

    BeklagterRechtsgrundlage: Art.56 EPC

  • Kodak has a private prior use right based on possession of Sonora X plates before the priority date

    BeklagterRechtsgrundlage: Sec.12 German Patent Act; Art.28 UPCA

  • UPC lacks jurisdiction over UK designation infringement because Art.34 UPCA confines jurisdiction to UPC territory

    BeklagterRechtsgrundlage: Art.34 UPCA; Art.24(3) UPCA

  • Injunction would be disproportionate given Kodak's investment in Sonora plates and public interest in market competition

    BeklagterRechtsgrundlage: Art.63 UPCA

  • Publication of infringement declaration on Kodak's website justified under Art.80 UPCA

    KlägerRechtsgrundlage: Art.80 UPCA

  • Penalty clause for non-fulfilment of the monetary damages award (interim award)

    KlägerRechtsgrundlage: Art.63 UPCA