Apple has been granted a temporary injunction to prevent Samsung selling its Galaxy Tab 10.1 in all European Union member nations other than the Netherlands.
The ruling was passed in a German court, following Apple’s claim that Samsung has ‘slavishly copied’ its patented technology in both the iPhone and iPad.
A similar claim has also been raised by Apple in Australia, delaying the tablet’s launch there.
Samsung has countersued Apple in South Korea, Japan, Germany and the US.
The Galaxy manufacturer stated: “Samsung is disappointed with the court's decision and we intend to act immediately to defend our intellectual property rights through the ongoing legal proceedings in Germany and will continue to actively defend these rights throughout the world.
“This decision by the court in Germany in no way influences other legal proceedings filed with the courts in Europe and elsewhere.”