Key takeaways
Multiple defendants and competence of the division
In the case of multiple defendants, if one of the defendants has its residence within the territory of the Local Division seized, Article 33(1)(b) UPCA must be applied, regardless of whether the other defendants are based inside or outside the Contracting Member States or inside or outside the EU.
“Commercial relationship” according to Art. 33(1)(b) UPCA
The “commercial relationship” between defendants that is required for an to be brought against multiple defendants implies a “certain quality and intensity”. However, to avoid multiple actions and the risk of irreconcilable decisions from separate proceedings, and to comply with the main principle of efficiency within the UPC, the interpretation of the link between the defendants should not be too narrow. The fact of belonging to the same group (legal entities) and having related commercial activities aimed at the same purpose (such as R&D, manufacturing, sale and distribution of the same products) is sufficient to be considered as “a commercial relationship” within the meaning of Article 33(1)(b) UPCA.
The same approach was already adopted in a similar case at the LD Munich: UPC_CFI_15/2023, Order of 29/09/2023.
Division
Local Division Paris
UPC number
UPC_CFI_495/2023
Type of proceedings
Preliminary Objection
Parties
Applicants:
ARM Limited (Defendant No. 1 in the main proceedings)
110 Fulbourn Road, CB1 9NJ – Cambridge – GB
Allinea Software GmbH (Defendant No. 2 in the main proceedings)
c/o Grant Thornton GmbH, Ganghoferstrasse 31, 80339 – München – DE
Apical Limited (Defendant No. 3 in the main proceedings)
110 Fulbourn Road, CB1 9NJ – Cambridge – GB
Arm France SAS (Defendant No. 4 in the main proceedings)
Batiment B – 732 Avenue de Roumanille, 06410 – Biot – FR
Arm Germany GmbH (Defendant No. 5 in the main proceedings)
Bretonischer Ring 16, 85630 – Grasbrunn – DE
Arm Germany d.o.o (Defendant No. 6 in the main proceedings)
Obrtna Cesta 18, SL-8310 – Sentjernej – SI
Arm lreland Limited (Defendant No. 7 in the main proceedings)
Lyrr Building, 3, Mervue Business Park Galway, Co. Galway – Galway – IE
Arm Poland Sp. z.o.o (Defendant No. 8 in the main proceedings)
UL. ŻELAZNA 2, 40-851 – KATOWICE, ŚLĄSKIE – PL
Arm Sweden AB (Defendant No. 9 in the main proceedings)
Emdalavagen 6, SE-223 69 – Lund – SE
Simulity Labs Limited (Defendant No. 10 in the main proceedings)
110 Fulbourn Road, CB1 9NJ – Cambridge – GB
SVF Holdco Limited (Defendant No. 12 in the main proceedings)
69 Grosvenor Street, W1K 3JP – London – GB
Respondent:
ICPillar LLC (Claimant in the main proceedings, hereinafter Respondent, Claimant or ICPillar)
4265 San Felipe Street, Suite 1100, 77027 – Houston, Texas – US
Patent(s)
European patent no° EP 3 000 239
Body of legislation / Rules
Art. 33(1) (b) UPCA, Rule 19.5 RoP
