Official Journal of the European Union

C series

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C/2025/3382

30.6.2025

(Case C-697/23,

(1)

HUK-COBURG Haftpflicht-Unterstützungs-Kasse)

(Reference for a preliminary ruling - Directive 2006/114/EC - Misleading and comparative advertising - Article 4(c) - Permitted comparative advertising - Website offering an online insurance comparison service - Comparison by a third party by means of a grading or points system - Article 2(c) - No identification of a ‘competitor’)

(C/2025/3382)

Language of the case: German

Referring court

Parties to the main proceedings

Applicant: HUK-COBURG Haftpflicht-Unterstützungs-Kasse kraftfahrender Beamter Deutschlands a.G. in Coburg

Defendants: Check24 Vergleichsportal GmbH, CHECK24 Vergleichsportal für Kfz-Versicherungen GmbH, CHECK24 Vergleichsportal für Sachversicherungen GmbH, CHECK24 Vergleichsportal für Krankenversicherungen GmbH, CHECK24 Vergleichsportal für Vorsorgeversicherungen GmbH, CHECK24 Vergleichsportal für Versicherungsprodukte GmbH

Operative part of the judgment

Article 2(c) of Directive 2006/114/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 concerning misleading and comparative advertising

must be interpreted as meaning that the concept of ‘comparative advertising’, referred to in that provision, does not include an online comparison service for goods or services provided by an undertaking which is not a ‘competitor’ within the meaning of that provision, that is to say, which does not itself offer the goods or services which it compares and which therefore operates in a market for separate goods or services. The same applies where that undertaking acts as an intermediary and allows consumers to conclude contracts with undertakings which offer the goods or services concerned, without itself operating in the market for those goods or those services.

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(1) OJ C C/2024/1246.

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/3382/oj

ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)

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