Great Wall says unaffected by Fiat patent ruling
Updated: 2011-10-18 14:14
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Great Wall Motor Co Ltd, China's top manufacturer of sport utility vehicles and pick-up trucks, will not appeal an Italian court ruling that its GW Peri compact infringes Fiat's patent, saying the ruling would have no impact on it.
A court in Turin, Italy made a judgment in April banning Great Wall from selling of "Peri" brand automobiles in the territory of the European Union, saying the car too closely resembled Fiat's Panda. It also fined the Chinese firm 15,000 euro ($20,482).
But a Chinese court dismissed Fiat's patent infringement claim in December 2008 -- effectively making any patent decision made outside China unenforceable inside the country anyway.
Great Wall noted that it had never exported "GW Peri" to European Union member countries.
The Chinese company said on Tuesday its GW Peri model, which commenced production in January 2008, had ceased production in September last year.
"The directors expect that the judgment will not have any material adverse effect on the operation, business or financial conditions of the Company," Great Wall said in the statement.