62017TO0321(01)_INF
Order of the General Court (Ninth Chamber, Extended Composition) of 20 December 2021 – Niemelä and Others v ECB
(Case T‑321/17)
(Action for annulment – Economic and monetary policy – Prudential supervision of credit institutions – Specific supervisory tasks assigned to the ECB – Decision to withdraw a credit institution’s authorisation – Replacement of the contested measure in the course of the proceedings – Action which has become devoid of purpose – Loss of interest in bringing proceedings – No need to adjudicate – Action for damages – Manifest inadmissibility)
1.
Action for annulment – Natural or legal persons – Interest in bringing proceedings – Action brought against a decision of the European Central Bank (ECB) withdrawing a credit institution’s authorisation – Decision repealed and replaced by a decision with identical content taken in the context of the review procedure – No longer any interest in bringing proceedings – No need to adjudicate
(Art. 263, fourth para., TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 131)
(see paras 29, 34, 35, 50-52, 55)
2.
Judicial proceedings – Application initiating proceedings – Formal requirements – Identification of the subject matter of the dispute – Summary of the pleas in law on which the application is based – Application containing no precise indication of the legal basis of the action or argument developing the pleas raised – Inadmissibility
(Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 21, first para., and 53, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 76(d))
(see paras 56, 60-64)
Re:
Application, first, under Article 263 TFEU, for annulment of the decision of the European Central Bank of 23 March 2017, ECB/SSM/2017 – 213800JENPXTUY75VSO/1 WHD-2017-0003, withdrawing Nemea Bank plc’s authorisation to operate as a credit institution and, second, under Article 268 TFEU, seeking compensation for the damage allegedly suffered by the applicants.
Operative part
1.
There is no longer any need to adjudicate on the application for annulment.
2.
The claim for compensation is dismissed as inadmissible.
3.
Heikki Niemelä, Mika Lehto, Nemea plc, Nevestor SA and Nemea Bank plc and the European Central Bank (ECB) are ordered each to bear their own costs in relation to the application for annulment.
4.
Heikki Niemelä, Mika Lehto, Nemea, Nevestor and Nemea Bank are ordered to bear their own costs and pay those incurred by the ECB in relation to the claim for compensation.
5.
The European Commission is ordered to bear its own costs.