Asunto C-465/04: Sentencia del Tribunal de Justicia (Sala Primera) de 23 de marzo de 2006 (petición de decisión prejudicial planteada por la Corte suprema di cassazione) — Honyvem Informazioni Commerciali Srl/Mariella De Zotti (Agentes comerciales independientes — Directiva 86/653/CEE — Derecho del agente comercial a obtener una indemnización tras la terminación del contrato)

• Jurisdiction: European Union
• Published date: 09 June 2006
• Celex Number: C2006/131/34

3.6.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 131/19

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Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 23 March 2006 (reference for a preliminary ruling from the Corte suprema di cassazione) — Honyvem Informazioni Commerciali Srl v Mariella De Zotti

(Case C-465/04) (1)

(Independent commercial agents - Directive 86/653/EEC - Entitlement of a commercial agent to an indemnity after termination of the contract)

(2006/C 131/34)

Language of the case: Italian

Referring court

Corte suprema di cassazione

Parties to the main proceedings

Applicant: Honyvem Informazioni Commerciali Srl

Defendant: Mariella De Zotti

Re:

Reference for a preliminary ruling — Corte Suprema di Cassazione — Interpretation of Articles 17 and 19 of Council Directive 86/653/EEC of 18 December 1986 on the coordination of the laws of the Member States relating to self-employed commercial agents (OJ 1986 L 382, p. 17) — Right of a commercial agent to an indemnity or damages on termination of contract

Operative part of the judgment

1. Article 19 of Council Directive 86/653/EEC of 18 December 1986 on the coordination of the laws of the Member States relating to self-employed commercial agents must be interpreted as meaning that the indemnity for termination of contract which results from the application of Article 17(2) of the directive cannot be replaced, pursuant to a collective agreement, by an indemnity determined in accordance with criteria other than those prescribed by Article 17, unless it is established that the application of such an agreement guarantees the commercial agent, in every case, an indemnity equal to or greater than that which results from the application of Article 17.

2. Within the framework prescribed by Article 17(2) of Directive 86/653, the Member States enjoy a margin of discretion which they may exercise, in particular, in relation to the criterion of equity.

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(1) OJ C 31 of 05.02.2005.

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