Case law

  • Case Details
    • National ID: 11200
    • Member State: Italy
    • Common Name:A. Barnabò v. Banco di Napoli S.p.A. and Metalplastica Alluminio S.p.A.
    • Decision type: Other
    • Decision date: 17/07/2003
    • Court: Corte di cassazione (Supreme court)
    • Subject:
    • Plaintiff:
    • Defendant:
    • Keywords:
  • Directive Articles
    Unfair Contract Terms Directive, Article 1, 1. Unfair Contract Terms Directive, Article 2 Unfair Contract Terms Directive, Article 3, 1. Unfair Contract Terms Directive, Article 4, 1.
  • Headnote
    1. The discipline concerning unfair terms in consumer contracts (article 1469-bis of the Italian Civil Code) does not apply to a contract of fideiussione, pursuant to the article 1936 of the Italian Civil Code, when the fideiussione has been stipulated before the enforcement of such rules (i.e. Law no. 52 of 6 February 1996).
  • Facts
    The plaintiff, Alessandro Barnabò, has made an appeal before the Tribunale of Venezia against the injunction obtained by the Banco di Napoli S.p.A. As for the bank, the plaintiff has undertaken an obligation to act as guarantor (“fideiussore”) for the Metalplastica Alluminio S.p.A. and the company was a debtor of the Banco di Napoli S.p.A. The Tribunale di Venezia and the Court of Appeal of Venezia has rejected the demand of the plaintiff. Then, Alessandro Barnabò decided to sue the bank before the Corte di cassazione.
  • Legal issue
    The discipline concerning unfair terms in consumer contracts has been implemented in Italy by the Law no. 52 of 6 February 1996 “Disposizioni per l'adempimento di obblighi derivanti dall'appartenenza dell'Italia alle Comunità europee” (Legge Comunitaria 1994).

    The Italian legislation on unfair terms in consumer contracts is based on the Council Directive 93/13/EEC of 5 April 1993 on unfair terms in consumer contracts and has introduced the articles from 1469-bis to 1469-sexies in the Italian Civil Code.

    In our case, the contract of fideiussione has been stipulated before that the Law no. 52 of 6 February 1996 entered into force and thus the discipline is not applicable to it. The fideiussore is one who personally binds himself before the creditor, guaranteeing the fulfilment of another person’s obligation (not necessarily a monetary debt) and so making himself liable with all his goods according to the general rule of the article 2740 of the Italian Civil Code.
  • Decision

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