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PARALLEL TEXTS
Il regolamento sulla competenza giurisdizionale trova applicazione nei confronti di un ente pubblico che, dopo aver venduto un immobile già espropriato da un regime totalitario, versi, per errore, agli aventi diritto un importo superiore al dovuto e ne chieda poi la parziale restituzione
Inglese tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CJE-13-40_en.htm
Italiano tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CJE-13-40_it.htm
Data documento: 11-04-2013
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The regulation on jurisdiction applies to an action brought by a public body which, having sold land previously expropriated by a totalitarian regime, has mistakenly overpaid the successors in title and seeks the partial restitution of that sum
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Il regolamento sulla competenza giurisdizionale trova applicazione nei confronti di un ente pubblico che, dopo aver venduto un immobile già espropriato da un regime totalitario, versi, per errore, agli aventi diritto un importo superiore al dovuto e ne chieda poi la parziale restituzione
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However, that regulation does not, in the present case, apply to defendants domiciled outside the EU, even where they are sued in a joint action with defendants domiciled in a Member State
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Il medesimo regolamento non si applica, tuttavia, nella fattispecie, ai convenuti domiciliati fuori dall’Unione, neppure se litisconsorti di convenuti domiciliati in uno Stato membro
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Mr Julius Busse was the owner of a plot of land situated in the former East Berlin.
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Il signor Julius Busse era proprietario di un terreno ubicato nel territorio della ex Berlino est.
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He was persecuted under the Nazi regime and, in 1938, was forced to sell his land to a third party.
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Perseguitato dal regime nazionalsocialista, nel 1938, egli era stato costretto a cedere tale terreno a terzi.
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That land was subsequently expropriated by the German Democratic Republic and incorporated, together with other publicly owned land, into a larger plot.
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Il medesimo terreno era stato successivamente oggetto di espropriazione da parte della Repubblica democratica tedesca e incluso, con altri terreni appartenenti a tale Stato, in un’operazione di ricostituzione fondiaria.
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Following the reunification of Germany, the entire parcel of land passed partly to the Land Berlin and partly to the Federal Republic of Germany.
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In seguito alla riunificazione della Germania, l’intera entità fondiaria così ottenuta è divenuta proprietà, in parte, del Land Berlin e, in parte, della Repubblica federale di Germania.
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In 1990, a number of successors in title of Mr Busse, some domiciled in Israel (Ms Sapir and others), others in the United Kingdom and Spain, lodged an application for the return of the part of the land which had previously belonged to him.
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Nel 1990 diversi aventi diritto del signor Busse -– alcuni dei quali domiciliati in Israele (la sig.ra Sapir e altri), altri nel Regno Unito e in Spagna – hanno chiesto la retrocessione della parte di terreno che era anteriormente appartenuta a quest’ultimo.
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However, in 1997, the Land Berlin and the Federal Republic of Germany sold the entire parcel of land, with the result that the return of the property was impossible and the successors in title were able only to obtain the corresponding share of the proceeds of the sale.
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Nel 1997, tuttavia, il Land Berlin e la Repubblica federale di Germania hanno venduto in blocco l’entità fondiaria, con la conseguenza che la retrocessione è divenuta impossibile e che gli aventi diritto hanno potuto ottenere solo la quota corrispondente del ricavato della vendita.
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When payment of that amount was made, the Land Berlin committed an error.
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All’atto di eseguire il versamento di tale importo, il Land Berlin ha commesso un errore.
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It unintentionally paid the entire amount of the proceeds of the sale to the lawyer representing the successors in title of the former owner, and that lawyer then distributed it to those successors in title.
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Ha versato, infatti, involontariamente, all’avvocato che rappresentava gli aventi diritto del vecchio proprietario la totalità dell’importo del prezzo di vendita, importo che il legale ha ridistribuito indi a questi ultimi.
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The Land Berlin now seeks to recover the overpayment, which it estimates at €2.5 million, from those persons in an action before the Landgericht Berlin (Regional Court, Berlin).
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Il Land Berlin reclama ora da costoro, dinanzi al Landgericht Berlin (Tribunale di Berlino), il rimborso di quanto hanno ricevuto in eccesso, somma che esso quantifica in 2,5 milioni di euro.
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The successors in title opposed that recovery, arguing that the Landgericht Berlin did not have international jurisdiction to decide the case with respect to the defendants in the main proceedings who were domiciled in the United Kingdom, Spain and Israel.
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Gli aventi diritto si sono opposti alla restituzione, eccependo l’incompetenza internazionale del Landgericht Berlin nei confronti dei convenuti domiciliati nel Regno Unito, in Spagna e in Israele.
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They also maintained that they were entitled to claim payment of an amount greater than the share of the proceeds of the sale due to them because those proceeds amounted to less than the market value of the property which had belonged to Mr Julius Busse.
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Essi hanno peraltro affermato di avere titolo al pagamento di un importo superiore alla quota di loro spettanza del ricavato della vendita, giacché il valore di mercato del terreno appartenuto al signor Julius Busse sarebbe stato maggiore di tale quota.
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The German courts at first instance and on appeal held that, according to EU law, they did not have international jurisdiction to rule on the action brought in Germany against defendants domiciled in the United Kingdom, Spain and Israel.
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I giudici tedeschi di primo grado e d’appello hanno considerato di non avere, conformemente al diritto dell’Unione , la competenza internazionale a statuire sul ricorso proposto in Germania contro i convenuti domiciliati nel Regno Unito, in Spagna e in Israele.
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According to those courts, that dispute did not concern a civil matter within the meaning of the regulation on jurisdiction, but was a matter of public law to which that regulation does not apply.
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La controversia in esame, a loro giudizio, non si riferisce alla materia civile, ai sensi del regolamento sulla competenza giurisdizionale , bensì rientra nell’ambito del diritto pubblico, cui detto regolamento non si applica.
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The Bundesgerichtshof (Federal Court of Justice, Germany), before which the dispute was brought on final appeal, accordingly made a reference to the Court of Justice for a preliminary ruling.
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È in tali circostanze che il Bundesgerichtshof (Corte federale tedesca), adito in ultima istanza, ha interpellato la Corte di giustizia.
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The Court, in its judgment delivered today, states, first of all, that the regulation on jurisdiction applies to an action brought by a public body which, having sold land previously expropriated by a totalitarian regime, has mistakenly overpaid the successors in title and seeks partial restitution of that amount.
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Nella sentenza odierna la Corte constata anzitutto che il regolamento sulla competenza giudiziaria trova applicazione nei confronti di un ente pubblico che, dopo aver venduto un immobile già espropriato da un regime totalitario, versi, per errore, agli aventi diritto un importo superiore al dovuto e ne chieda poi la parziale restituzione.
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In that regard, the Court points out that the action brought, on grounds of unjust enrichment, by the Land Berlin is civil in nature and is not connected to an exercise of public powers by that Land.
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Al riguardo la Corte rileva che l’azione proposta, a titolo di arricchimento senza causa, dal Land Berlin è di natura civile e non è legata ad un esercizio di potere pubblico da parte di detto Land.
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The right to compensation underlying the action brought against the successors in title of Mr Busse is based on national provisions on compensation for the victims of the Nazi regime which imposed the same obligation in respect of compensation without distinguishing between the status of the owner of the property subject to such rights as a private person or as a State entity.
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Il diritto a risarcimento sotteso all’azione intentata contro gli aventi diritto del signor Busse è fondato su disposizioni nazionali concernenti l’indennizzo delle vittime del regime nazionalsocialista, che impongono uguale obbligo di indennizzo senza distinguere tra lo status di soggetto privato oppure di ente pubblico del proprietario del bene.
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Furthermore, that owner does not have any prior right to a decision as regards the determination of the victim’s rights to restitution.
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Detto proprietario non ha peraltro alcuna prerogativa decisionale riguardo alla determinazione dei diritti di restituzione dei danneggiati.
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Next, the Court observes that, according to the regulation, there is a close connection between claims brought against several defendants domiciled in other Member States who, in circumstances such as those in the main proceedings, rely on rights to additional compensation which must be determined on a uniform basis.
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La Corte rileva poi che, ai sensi del regolamento, sussiste un nesso stretto tra le domande proposte contro una pluralità di convenuti domiciliati sul territorio di altri Stati membri che, in circostanze come quelle di specie, oppongano diritti a risarcimento supplementari sui quali è necessario statuire in modo uniforme.
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However, that rule does not apply to defendants domiciled outside the EU in cases where they are sued in an action which is also brought against persons domiciled within the EU.
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Tale regola non vale però per i convenuti domiciliati fuori dall’Unione che siano litisconsorti di convenuti domiciliati nell’Unione.
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The regulation on jurisdiction provides that, in order to sue a co-defendant before the courts of one Member State because there is a close connection between the claims brought against several defendants, that person must be domiciled in another Member State.
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Difatti, il regolamento sulla competenza giurisdizionale dispone che, per citare un litisconsorte dinanzi al giudice di uno Stato membro in ragione della sussistenza di un nesso stretto tra le domande proposte contro una pluralità di convenuti, è necessario che tale convenuto abbia il proprio domicilio sul territorio di un altro Stato membro.
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Furthermore, the regulation expressly and exhaustively governs the matter of disputes between persons domiciled outside the European Union, providing, subject to certain exceptions, that jurisdiction is to be governed by national law in each Member State.
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Il regolamento tratta peraltro in modo esplicito ed esaustivo la questione delle cause in cui le parti sono domiciliate fuori dall’Unione prevedendo, con talune eccezioni, che la competenza sia disciplinata in ciascuno Stato membro dalla legge nazionale.
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NOTE:
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IMPORTANTE:
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A reference for a preliminary ruling allows the courts and tribunals of the Member States, in disputes which have been brought before them, to refer questions to the Court of Justice about the interpretation of European Union law or the validity of a European Union act.
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Il rinvio pregiudiziale consente ai giudici degli Stati membri, nell'ambito di una controversia della quale sono investiti, di interpellare la Corte in merito all’interpretazione del diritto dell’Unione o alla validità di un atto dell’Unione.
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The Court of Justice does not decide the dispute itself.
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La Corte non risolve la controversia nazionale.
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It is for the national court or tribunal to dispose of the case in accordance with the Court’s decision, which is similarly binding on other national courts or tribunals before which a similar issue is raised.
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Spetta al giudice nazionale risolvere la causa conformemente alla decisione della Corte.Tale decisione vincola egualmente gli altri giudici nazionali ai quali venga sottoposto un problema simile.
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LISTEN WITH READSPEAKER
The regulation on jurisdiction applies to an action brought by a public
body which, having sold land previously expropriated by a totalitarian regime,
has mistakenly overpaid the successors in title and seeks the partial
restitution of that sum
However, that regulation does not, in the present case, apply to
defendants domiciled outside the EU, even where they are sued in a joint action
with defendants domiciled in a Member State
Mr Julius Busse was the owner of a plot of land situated in the former
East Berlin.
He was persecuted under the Nazi regime and, in 1938, was forced to
sell his land to a third party.
That land was subsequently expropriated by the German Democratic
Republic and incorporated, together with other publicly owned land, into a
larger plot.
Following the reunification of Germany, the entire parcel of land
passed partly to the Land Berlin and partly to the Federal Republic of Germany.
In 1990, a number of successors in title of Mr Busse, some domiciled in
Israel (Ms Sapir and others), others in the United Kingdom and Spain, lodged an
application for the return of the part of the land which had previously belonged
to him.
However, in 1997, the Land Berlin and the Federal Republic of Germany
sold the entire parcel of land, with the result that the return of the property
was impossible and the successors in title were able only to obtain the
corresponding share of the proceeds of the sale.
When payment of that amount was made, the Land Berlin committed an
error.
It unintentionally paid the entire amount of the proceeds of the sale
to the lawyer representing the successors in title of the former owner, and that
lawyer then distributed it to those successors in title.
The Land Berlin now seeks to recover the overpayment, which it
estimates at €2.5 million, from those persons in an action before the
Landgericht Berlin (Regional Court, Berlin).
The successors in title opposed that recovery, arguing that the
Landgericht Berlin did not have international jurisdiction to decide the case
with respect to the defendants in the main proceedings who were domiciled in the
United Kingdom, Spain and Israel.
They also maintained that they were entitled to claim payment of an
amount greater than the share of the proceeds of the sale due to them because
those proceeds amounted to less than the market value of the property which had
belonged to Mr Julius Busse.
The German courts at first instance and on appeal held that, according
to EU law1, they did not have international jurisdiction to rule on the action
brought in Germany against defendants domiciled in the United Kingdom, Spain and
Israel.
According to those courts, that dispute did not concern a civil matter
within the meaning of the regulation on jurisdiction, but was a matter of public
law to which that regulation does not apply.
The Bundesgerichtshof (Federal Court of Justice, Germany), before which
the dispute was brought on final appeal, accordingly made a reference to the
Court of Justice for a preliminary ruling.
The Court, in its judgment delivered today, states, first of all, that
the regulation on jurisdiction applies to an action brought by a public body
which, having sold land previously expropriated by a totalitarian regime, has
mistakenly overpaid the successors in title and seeks partial restitution of
that amount.
In that regard, the Court points out that the action brought, on
grounds of unjust enrichment, by the Land Berlin is civil in nature and is not
connected to an exercise of public powers by that Land.
The right to compensation underlying the action brought against the
successors in title of Mr Busse is based on national provisions on compensation
for the victims of the Nazi regime which imposed the same obligation in respect
of compensation without distinguishing between the status of the owner of the
property subject to such rights as a private person or as a State entity.
Furthermore, that owner does not have any prior right to a decision as
regards the determination of the victim’s rights to restitution.
Next, the Court observes that, according to the regulation, there is a close
connection between claims brought against several defendants domiciled in other
Member States who, in circumstances such as those in the main proceedings, rely
on rights to additional compensation which must be determined on a uniform
basis.
However, that rule does not apply to defendants domiciled outside the
EU in cases where they are sued in an action which is also brought against
persons domiciled within the EU.
The regulation on jurisdiction provides that, in order to sue a
co-defendant before the courts of one Member State because there is a close
connection between the claims brought against several defendants, that person
must be domiciled in another Member State.
Furthermore, the regulation expressly and exhaustively governs the
matter of disputes between persons domiciled outside the European Union,
providing, subject to certain exceptions, that jurisdiction is to be governed by
national law in each Member State.
NOTE:
A reference for a preliminary ruling allows the courts and tribunals of
the Member States, in disputes which have been brought before them, to refer
questions to the Court of Justice about the interpretation of European Union law
or the validity of a European Union act.
The Court of Justice does not decide the dispute itself.
It is for the national court or tribunal to dispose of the case in
accordance with the Court’s decision, which is similarly binding on other
national courts or tribunals before which a similar issue is raised.
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