Case C-612/23, Verbraucherzentrale Berlin (Concept of initial commitment period): Judgment of the Court (Fifth Chamber) of 13 February 2025 (request for a preliminary ruling from the Oberlandesgeri...

Official Journal of the European Union C/2025/1867 7.4.2025 EN C series Judgment of the Court (Fifth Chamber) of 13 February 2025 (request for a preliminary ruling from the Oberlandesgericht Düsseldorf – Germany) – Verbraucherzentrale Berlin eV v Vodafone GmbH (Case C-612/23, (1) Verbraucherzentrale Berlin (Concept of initial commitment period)) (Reference for a preliminary ruling – Directive 2002/22/EC (Universal Service Directive) – Electronic communications networks and services – Universal service and users’ rights – Consumer protection – Contracts concluded between a consumer and an undertaking providing electronic communications services – Facilitating change of provider – Article 30(5) – Initial commitment period – Concept) (C/2025/1867) Language of the case: German Referring court Oberlandesgericht Düsseldorf Parties to the main proceedings Applicant: Verbraucherzentrale Berlin eV Defendant: Vodafone GmbH Operative part of the judgment Article 30(5) of Directive 2002/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on universal service and users’ rights relating to electronic communications networks and services (Universal Service Directive), as amended by Directive 2009/136/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 must be interpreted as meaning that the concept of ‘initial commitment period’ referred to in that provision covers both the duration of the initial contract concluded between a consumer...