Jurisprudenţă

  • Detalii privind cazul
    • ID național: Bucharest Court of Appeal, Civil section V, Judgement 167 R/2020
    • Statul membru: România
    • Denumire comună:N/A
    • Tipul de decizie: Decizie a Curții care face obiectul unui recurs
    • Data deciziei: 17/03/2020
    • Instanţa: Curtea De Apel București Secția A V-A Civilă
    • Obiect:
    • Reclamantul:
    • Pârâtul:
    • Cuvinte-cheie: Consumers rights, Termination of the contract, Lex specialis
  • Articole din directivă
    Consumer Sales and Guarantees Directive, Article 3
  • Notă preliminară

    ECLI:RO:CABUC:2020:053.xxxxxx

     

    Through an appeal on points of law, a party is not entitled to interpret differently the evidence and the factual situation retained by the judge that solved the dispute on the merits. The application of the general norms of the Civil Code for the termination of a consumer contract when the trader delivers a defective product does not amount to a violation of the provisions of Law 449/2003.

  • Fapte

    Since the product purchased presented defects of conformity and the trader did not remedy the situation, a consumer brought court proceedings asking for the termination of the contract, the reimbursement of the price paid and interests for that sum. In first instance and then in appeal proceedings, he obtained a favourable judgement; the seller launched an appeal on points of law, alleging the lack of reasons for that judgement and a violation of the legal provisions of the Law 449/2003.

  • Chestiune juridică

    What is the relation between the Civil Code and Law 449/2009 as regards the termination of a consumer contract in case of delivery of a defective product? What are the limits for the admissibility of an appeal on points of law?

  • Hotărârea

    As regards the critics regarding the lack of reasons

    The court seized with an appeal on points of law cannot re-analyse the evidence and the factual situation retained by the judge who rendered the contested judgement. The fact that the appellant disagrees with the solution of the contested judgement and has a different interpretation of the evidence and facts does not mean that the judgement lacks reason. Neither does the fact that the appellant is dissatisfied with the facts retained by the Court in relation with the existing evidence. As ECHR stated, the courts are not obliged to respond in a detailed manner to every argument advanced by the parties and the scope of obligation to give reasons depends on the nature of these arguments and on the variety of claims and reasons advanced. Since in the given case the contested judgement properly reflects the arguments in both fact and in law on which the Court based its solution, the criticisms raised are unjustified.

    As regards the violation of the law and the wrong application of the Law 449/2003

    Criticising the judgement, the appellant alleged that the Court wrongfully justified the termination of the contract on the basis of the provisions of the Civil Code, ignoring Law 449/2003. According to Art. 2, the Civil Code governs the legal relationships between professionals and between professionals and other legal subjects. The resolution of a dispute between a consumer and a trader (also) on the basis of the provisions of the Civil Code on the termination of contracts is not unlawful. The fact that the appellate court did not refer to the provisions of Law 449/2003, but only to the provisions of the Civil Code should not be sanctioned since the (special) Law 449/2003 does not add anything to the requirements found in the (general) Civil Code for the termination of a contract, requirements analysed by the Court. Law 449/2003 consecrates the consumer’s right to request the reduction of the price and/or the termination of the contract in certain specific cases, but does not detail the requirements for the termination; the application in this regard of the general norms of the Civil Code does not entrain the illegality of the judgement.

    As regards the violation of the Art. 13 of the Law 449/2003

    The appellant did not specify in which way the Court misinterpreted the provisions of Art. 13, but merely limited himself to criticise the way in which the Court interpreted the evidence presented. The appeal on points of law cannot amount to a re-interpretation of the evidence as regards the factual situation and its legal consequences.

    Even if the First Instance Court had retained an erroneous factual situation, the seller did not criticise it during the appeal proceedings and did not take any steps during to try to correct it. The Appellate Court validly referred to the situation retained by the First Instance Court. Correspondingly, its judgement cannot be censored as it acted according to its powers.

    Text integral: Text integral

  • Cazuri conexe

    Nu există rezultate disponibile

  • Doctrină

    Nu există rezultate disponibile

  • Rezultat

    Since the trader failed to prove the violation of the legal provisions of Law 449/2003 and since the applications of the provisions of the general norms of the Civil Code as regards the termination of the contract was lawful, the Court rejected the appeal on points of law launched by the trader. Its judgement is final.