Article 16 no. 4

Judgement of the Court; 13 July 2006; in Case C-4/03; Gesellschaft für Antriebstechnik mbH & Co. KG vLamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG:

Article 16(4) of the Convention of 27 September 1968 on Jurisdiction and the Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters, as last amended by the Convention of 29 November 1996 on the Accession of the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden, is to be interpreted as meaning that the rule of exclusive jurisdiction laid down therein concerns all proceedings relating to the registration or validity of a patent, irrespective of whether the issue is raised by way of an action or a plea in objection.