An International Guide to
Patent Case Management for Judges

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5.8.3 Failure to comply with further obligations (coercive measure proceedings)

In accordance with Section 888 of the Code of Civil Procedure, where actions may not be taken by anyone other than the debtor, the court of first instance hearing the case, upon request of the creditor, is to urge the debtor to take the action by levying a coercive penalty payment (up to EUR 25,000 for each violation) or coercive punitive detention (up to six months but no more than two years in total). This manner of enforcement, in particular, relates to the claims for the provision of information and the rendering of accounts (Section 140b of the Patent Act; Sections 242 and 259 of the Civil Code),178 destruction (Section 140a(1) of the Patent Act) and recall (Section 140a(3) of the Patent Act).

Just as with penalty proceedings, the decision on coercive measures is issued by a court order (Section 891 of the Code of Civil Procedure) and can immediately be appealed to the higher regional court within two weeks of service (Sections 793 and 567(1)). Likewise, the appeal has suspensive effect (Section 570(1)). However, unlike for penalty proceedings, the creditor is responsible for the enforcement.179