Case C‑600/21

QE

v

Caisse régionale de Crédit mutuel de Loire-Atlantique et du Centre Ouest

(Request for a preliminary ruling from the Cour de cassation (France))

Judgment of the Court (Ninth Chamber) of 8 December 2022

(Reference for a preliminary ruling – Consumer protection – Unfair terms in consumer contracts – Directive 93/13/EEC – Article 3(1) – Article 4 – Criteria for assessing whether a term is unfair – Term relating to the accelerated repayment of a loan agreement – Contractual dispensation from the requirement for a formal written demand)

1. Consumer protection – Unfair terms in consumer contracts – Directive 93/13 – Unfair term within the meaning of Article 3 – Assessment of unfair nature by the national court – Criteria – Criteria laid down by the judgment of 26 January 2017, C‑421/14 – Cumulative or alternative nature – None

   (Council Directive 93/13, Arts 3(1) and 4)

   (see paragraphs 29-35, operative part 1)

2. Consumer protection – Unfair terms in consumer contracts – Directive 93/13 – Unfair term within the meaning of Article 3 – Concept – Term in a consumer contract concerning accelerating the repayment of a loan agreement – Right of a professional to trigger the accelerated repayment procedure in respect of the loan repayment, with no requirement for formalities or formal written demand, making the sums due for immediate repayment in the event of a delay of more than 30 days in the payment of an instalment – Assessment by the national court of whether such a term is unfair – Criteria

   (Council Directive 93/13, Arts 3(1) and 4)

   (see paragraphs 38-41, operative part 2)

3. Consumer protection – Unfair terms in consumer contracts – Directive 93/13 – Unfair term within the meaning of Article 3 – Concept – Term which expressly and unequivocally provides that the accelerated repayment procedure in respect of an agreement may be triggered automatically in the event that the delay in paying an instalment exceeds a certain period – Included – Conditions

   (Council Directive 93/13, Arts 3(1) and 4(2))

   (see paragraphs 44-51, operative part 3)

See the text of the decision.