The New Law Against Unfair Competition: An Assessment

German Law Journal

Volumn 6, Issue 1, 2005, Pages 201-216

  Finger, Manuela ^a   Schmieder, Sandra ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF KONSTANZ   (Germany)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 85175435067     PISSN: None     EISSN: 20718322     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1017/S2071832200013572     Document Type: Article

References (110)

1. Gesetz gegen den unlauteren Wettbewerb (UWG), BGBl. I 2004, 1414 of July 3, 2004.
2. See e.g. the Directive 2002/58/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 2002 concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector (Directive on privacy and electronic communications), O.J. L 201, 37.
3. Gesetz gegen den unlauteren Wettbewerb (UWG) of June 7, 1909, RGBl. 1909, 499, last amended July 23, 2002, BGBl. I 2002, 2852.
4. Sec. 7, 8 UWG 1909.
5. Rabattgesetz of November 25, 1933, RGBl. I 1933, 1011, last amended July 25, 1986, BGBl. I 1986, 1172.
6. Zugabeverordnung of March 9, 1932, RGBl. I 1932, 121, last amended July 25, 1994, BGBl. I 1994, 1688.
7. See the explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 12.
8. The Regulation governing free gifts with sales of July 23, 2001 (BGBl. I 2001, 1661)
9. The Act on the Abrogation of the Statute on Discounts of July 23, 2001 (BGBl. I 2001, 1663).
10. Directive 2000/31/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2000 on certain legal aspects of information society services, in particular electronic commerce, in the Internal Market ('Directive on electronic commerce') (O.J. L 178, 1).
11. Pursuant to the country of origin principle in Art. 3 I entrepreneurs must only comply with the national laws at their business location. This provision could have resulted in a discrimination of German entrepreneurs, if the stringent provisions on discounts and giveaways had remained in force (see also http://www.bundesregierung.de/artikel-, 413.26160/Rabattgesetz-und-Zugabeverordn.htm).
12. Amended proposal for a European Parliament and Council Regulation concerning sales promotions in the Internal Market (presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 250 para. 2 of the EC Treaty) as of October 25, 2002, COM (2002) 585 final.
13. Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning unfair business-toconsumer commercial practices in the Internal Market and amending directives 84/450/EEC, 97/7/EC and 98/27/EC (the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive) of June 18 2003.
14. COM (2001) 531 final.
15. HILTRUD BREYER, REPORT ON THE POLITICS OF THE EU ON CONSUMER PROTECTION (September 20, 2004), at http://www.hiltrud-breyer.de/breyer/breyer/themen/positionspapiere/2003-11-18.html.
16. See the explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 12.
17. See Press Release of the EU, IP/04/1364 of Nov. 16, 2004;
18. Gralf-Peter Calliess, (Conflict) Principles of (Consumer) Contract Law - An Update, 5 GERMAN LAW JOURNAL 957, 962 f. (2004), at http://www.germanlawjournal.com/pdf/Vol05No08/PDF_Vol_05_No_08_957-967_EU_Calliess.pdf.
19. Directive 2002/58/EC on privacy and electronic communications, O.J. L 201, 37.
20. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 12.
21. Directive 2002/58/EC on privacy and electronic communications, O.J. L 201, 37, 45 f.
22. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 13, 15 f;
23. see also BGHZ 140, 134 (138) - Hormonpräparate; BGH NJW 2000, 864 - Giftnotruf-Box;
24. BVerfG WRP 2001, 1160 - Therapeutische Äquivalenz; BVerfG GRUR 2002, 455 - Tier- und Artenschutz 22 Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 13.
25. E.g. BGH GRUR 1957, 365 - Suwa;
26. BGH GRUR 1982, 425 (430 f) - Brillen-Selbstabgabestellen;
27. BGH GRUR 1999, 751 (753) - Güllepumpen;
28. BGH GRUR 2001, 354 (356) - Verbandsklage gegen Vielfachabmahner.
29. Sec. 2 para. 1 no. 1 UWG 2004.
30. Sec. 2 para. 1 no. 2 UWG 2004.
31. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 16.
32. law Baumbach/Hefermehl, Wettbewerbsrecht, 22. Aufl., Einl. UWG Rdn. 226 zum mittelbaren Wettbeverbsverhaeltnis.
33. Telekommunikationsgesetz of July 25, 1996, BGBl. I 1996, 1120, last amended May 5, 2004, BGBl. I 2004, 718.
34. Gesetz über die Nutzung von Telediensten of July 22, 1997, BGBl. I 1997, 1870, last amended December 14, 2001, BGBl. I 2001, 3721.
35. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 16.
36. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 16.
37. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 13.
38. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 13, 16.
39. See also Günter Zettel, Verbotstatbestände im neuen UWG, MONATSSCHRIFT DES DEUTSCHEN RECHTS 1099 (2004).
40. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 17, 19, 20.
41. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 18.
42. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 18.
43. Statement of the Bundesregierung, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 41;
44. Christian Scharpf, Drittschutz für die Privatwirtschaft?, GEWERBEARCHIV 317, 318 (2004).
45. BGH GRUR 2003, 164 (165) - Altautoversorgung;
46. BGH WRP 2004, 376 (381) - Strom und Telefon I;
47. BGH WRP 2004, 382 (3859 - Strom und Telefon II.
48. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 13.
49. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 19.
50. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 15. BGH GRUR 1970, 523 - Telefonwerbung I; BGH GRUR 1989, 753 - Telefonwerbung II;
51. BGH GRUR 1990, 280 (281) - Telefonwerbung III;
52. BGH GRUR 1991, 764 - Telefonwerbung IV;
53. OLG Frankfurt GRUR 1983, 674 - Lästiger Anlageberater;
54. BGH GRUR 1973, 211 (212) - Telexwerbung;
55. BGH GRUR 1996, 208 - Telefax-Werbung.
56. Directive 2002/58/EC on privacy and electronic communications, O.J. L 201, 37.
57. Sec. 5 UWG 2004.
58. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 14.
59. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 14.
60. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 14.
61. Sec. 6, 6a, 6b UWG 1909.
62. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 15.
63. See, e.g., formerly sec. 13, 19 UWG of 1909.
64. Sec. 935, 940 ZPO (German Code of Civil Procedure) can more easily proof the urgency of a preliminary injunction (sec. 12 para. 2 UWG 2004).
65. Sec. 10 UWG 2004, see below under [3.4.1.2].
66. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 14.
67. Sec. 13a UWG 1909.
68. Sec. 11 para. 2 UWG 2004.
69. Statement of the Bundesrat, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 35 f.
70. Günter Zettel, Das neue Gesetz gegen den unlauteren Wettbewerb, MONATSSCHRIFT DES DEUTSCHEN RECHTS 1040, 1042 (2004).
71. Sec. 8 para. 3 UWG 2004.
72. See, e.g., sec. 13 para. 2 UWG of 1909.
73. See sec. 93 ZPO (German Code of Civil Procedure). Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 25.
74. Sec. 12 para. 1 UWG 2004.
75. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 25.
76. Sec. 9 cl. 1 UWG 2004.
77. Sec. 13(6) UWG 1909.
78. Sec. 9 cl. 2 UWG 2004.
79. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 23.
80. Sec. 10 para. 1 UWG 2004.
81. Explanatory statement of the new law BT-Drs. 15/1487, 24.
82. Sec. 10 para. 2 UWG 2004.
83. Sec. 10 para. 2 UWG 2004.
84. Sec. 16 UWG 2004.
85. Sec. 263 StGB.
86. Sec. 17, 19 UWG 2004.
87. Sec. 18, 19 UWG 2004. Cf. sec. 17, 18, 20, 20a UWG of 1909.
88. Sec. 14 para. 1 UWG 2004. Cf. sec. 24 UWG of 1909.
89. Sec. 14 para. 2 UWG 2004.
90. Sec. 15 UWG 2004, cf. sec. 27a UWG of 1909.
91. See, e.g., Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv), http://www.vzbv.de/start/- index.php?page=themen&bereichs_id=5&themen_id=24&mit_id=407&task=mit.
92. Günter Zettel, Verbotstatbestände im neuen UWG, MONATSSCHRIFT DES DEUTSCHEN RECHTS 1099, 1102 (2004).
93. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 19.
94. EuGH GRUR Int. 1998, 795 - Gut Springenheide;
95. EuGH GRUR Int. 1999, 345 - Sektkellerei Kessler; EuGH GRUR 2003, 533 (536) - Pippig Augenoptik/Hartlauer.
96. Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv), http://www.vzbv.de/start/index.php?page- =themen&bereichs_id=5&themen_id=24&mit_id=407&task=mit.
97. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 14 f.
98. Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 22.
99. Astrid Stadler/Hans-W. Micklitz, Der Reformvorschlag der UWG-Novelle für eine Verbandsklage auf Gewinnabschöpfung, WETTBEWERB IN RECHT UND PRAXIS 559 (2003);
100. Stefan Engels/Thomas H. Salomon, Vom Lauterkeitsrecht zum Verbraucherschutz - UWG-Reform 2003, WRP 32, 42 f. (2004).
101. Statement of the Bundesrat, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 34.
102. Statement of the Bundesrat, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 34 f.
103. Statement of the Bundesregierung, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 43.
104. Stefan Engels/Thomas H. Salomon, Vom Lauterkeitsrecht zum Verbraucherschutz - UWG-Reform 2003, WETTBEWERB IN RECHT UND PRAXIS 32, 43 (2004).
105. Astrid Stadler/Hans-W. Micklitz, Der Reformvorschlag der UWG-Novelle für eine Verbandsklage auf Gewinnabschöpfung, WETTBEWERB IN RECHT UND PRAXIS 559, 562 (2003);
106. Günter Zettel, Das neue Gesetz gegen den unlauteren Wettbewerb, MDR 1040, 1043 (2004).
107. Sec. 7 para. 2 no. 2 UWG 2004.
108. Statement of the Bundesrat, BT-Drucks. 15/1487, 31 f.
109. Also see the current case law. See Explanatory statement of the new law, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 21. Statement of the Bundesregierung, BT-Drs. 15/1487, 42.
110. Explanatory statement of the new law BT-Drs. 15/1487, 21, 42.