Nokia wins anti-suit injunction against Geely’s interim-licence application

The connected cars dispute between Nokia and Geely, which has been pending since last summer, came to a head this week. After Geely filed an application for an interim licence in China, Nokia successfully filed an anti-suit injunction against a Chinese interim licence with both the Munich Regional Court and the UPC. JUVE Patent does not know the outcome of this week’s hearing in China on the interim licence because the proceedings are confidential.

However, Nokia’s defence consists of two anti-suit injunctions against a Chinese interim licence. In the proceedings, the UPC’s Mannheim local division under Peter Tochtermann imposed penalties of around €50 million, similar to those imposed in InterDigital vs Amazon. Munich Regional Court simultaneously granted an anti-suit injunction against a Chinese interim licence relating to the pending proceedings in Germany.

Oral hearings loom

The conflict remains tense, as the first oral hearing for an injunction is already scheduled for 21 May at Munich Regional Court (case ID: 7 O 9322/25). It concerns 5G and the infringement of EP 3 566 488. A further oral hearing (case ID: 21 O 9323/25) is scheduled to take place just a few weeks later on 15 July.

At the UPC, the Mannheim local division has scheduled a hearing in the dispute over EP 3 799 333 for mid-November. The Munich local division has not yet set a date for EP 4 090 075.

Meanwhile, the proceedings requested by Geely in China to determine the licence amount are ongoing.

German counsel

Nokia relies on its regular advisers from Arnold Ruess. Tim Smentkowski, Cordula Schumacher, Chanisar Bangkomnet, and Matthias Klämbt are involved in the PI proceedings at the UPC and Munich Regional Court.

Geely is reportedly working with a team led by Steffen Steiniger from Hogan Lovells in the dispute.