Nokia and Daimler Settle Standard-Essential Patent Licensing Dispute, Potentially Impacting Auto-Industry FRAND Licensing

This settlement resolves multiple German lawsuits Nokia filed against Daimler asserting SEPs and Daimler’s complaint against Nokia before the European Commission. Continental, an auto-industry supplier, is currently in litigation with Nokia over similar FRAND licensing issues in courts in the United States and before the European Commission. Alert OverviewOn June 1, 2021, Nokia and Daimler announced the settlement of their long-running and closely watched standard-essential patents (SEPs) licensing dispute. Then, in October of 2020, a Munich Regional Court found Daimler infringed a different Nokia SEP, also issuing a Germany-wide injunction on Mercedes sales. That dispute involves mobile communications SEP licensing issues that are similar to those just settled by Daimler and Nokia.