Nokia Technologies Oy and others v. Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd., and others, UPC CFI Mannheim Local Division, 20 April 2026, Case number UPC_CFI_1291/2026
On 20 April 2026, the Mannheim Local Division granted Nokia an ex parte anti anti suit injunction in ongoing SEP proceedings against Geely. Nokia had first initiated infringement actions before the UPC in July 2025, while the same month Geely had initiated parallel FRAND rate setting proceedings before the Hangzhou court in China. On 8 April 2026 Geely sought a worldwide interim licence from the Hangzhou court.
On the evidence before it, including material from Nokia’s Chinese counsel, the Court accepted that there was a risk the Chinese court could grant an interim licence with extraterritorial effects, potentially exposing Nokia to significant penalties if it continued to pursue injunctive relief in the UPC. The Court characterised Geely’s application as, in substance, a measure liable to interfere with Nokia’s ability to enforce its patent rights before the UPC.
The Court emphasised that access to, and enforcement of, patent rights before the UPC forms part of the procedural protection afforded to those patents. It therefore ordered Geely not to seek an interim licence or any other relief that would directly or indirectly restrict Nokia’s UPC actions, and to withdraw its Chinese application insofar as it affects the UPC. The order is backed by significant penalty payments in the event of non compliance and is conditional on Nokia providing security.
A copy of the Order can be found here.
