On 10 January 2020, the Maritime and Commercial High Court reached a decision in a case concerning infringement of the copyright pertaining to the famous “the Chair” made by designer Hans J. Wegner in 1949 committed by the co-owner of a brewery (and the brewery itself).
The Maritime and Commercial High Court found that, by importing, lending, and later transferring 66 of the chairs in question to the brewery, the co-owner had committed an isolated copyright infringement as the he had not conducted any research into the possibility of the chairs being counterfeit. By the later transfer of the chairs to the brewery, the co-owner had been made aware of these circumstances and the infringement committed by the transfer was therefore intentional.
In light hereof, the Maritime and Commercial High Court issued fines against both the brewery and the co-owner.
Lundgrens is pleased with the decision as it illustrates the possibility to claim criminal responsibility for individuals when an infringement is intentional.
