Dam Bursts On Netherlands Libel Action
Grovit v De Netherlandsche Bank NV and others
CA
Weekly Law Reports Summary
24 July 2007
An action for libel against the central bank of the Netherlands was not a civil and commercial matter within the terms of Council Regulation 44/2001/EC (the Judgments Regulation on jurisdiction in civil and commercial matters) so as to permit the action to go ahead in the English courts.
The Court of Appeal so held, dismissing the appeal of the claimants, Stefan Carim Ismail Grovit, Felix Fareed Ismail Grovit and Dominic Thorncroft, from a decision of Tugendhat J [2006] 1 WLR 3323 striking out their claim in defamation against the defendants De Nederlandsche Bank NV, and two of its officers, W M E Van Gorkum and S Kereweer.