62022TJ0366_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 25 June 2025 –Ryanair v Commission (Condor II; COVID-19)
(Case T‑366/22)
(State aid – German air transport market – Public loan guaranteed by Germany to Condor Flugdienst in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic – Decision not to raise any objections – Aid intended to make good the damage caused by an exceptional occurrence – Article 107(2)(b) TFEU – Assessment of the damage – Direct causal link – Assessment of the amount of the aid – Principle of non-discrimination – Freedom to provide services – Freedom of establishment – Obligation to state reasons)
1.
Action for annulment – Natural or legal persons – Measures of direct and individual concern to them – Commission decision finding State aid compatible with the internal market without opening the formal investigation procedure – Action challenging the justification of that decision – Action by a competitor undertaking not demonstrating that its market position was substantially affected – Inadmissibility
(Art. 108(2) and (3), and Art. 263, fourth para., TFEU)
(see paragraphs 32-41)
2.
Aid granted by a Member State – Planned aid – Examination by the Commission – Preliminary review and main review – Compatibility of aid with the internal market – Difficulties of assessment – Commission’s duty to initiate the main review procedure – Serious difficulties – Concept – Objective nature – Burden of proof – Judicial review – Limits
(Art. 108(2) and (3) TFEU; Council Regulation 2015/1589, Art. 4(3) and (4) and Art. 15(1))
(see paragraphs 46-49)
3.
Aid granted by a Member State – Prohibition – Derogations – Adoption of a number of aid measures in respect of the same occurrence on the basis of different exceptions provided for in Article 107(2) or (3) TFEU – Whether permissible
(Art. 107(2)(b) and 3(c) TFEU)
(see paragraphs 51, 52, 175)
4.
Aid granted by a Member State – Prohibition – Derogations – Aid compatible with the internal market – Aid to make good the damage caused by natural disasters or exceptional occurrences – State-guaranteed loan to an airline to compensate it for losses incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic – Assessment in the light of Article 107(2)(b) TFEU – Criteria – Direct causal link between the COVID-19 pandemic and the damage suffered by the undertaking receiving the aid
(Art. 107(2)(b) TFEU)
(see paragraphs 58-133)
5.
Aid granted by a Member State – Prohibition – Derogations – Aid compatible with the internal market – Aid to make good the damage caused by natural disasters or exceptional occurrences – State-guaranteed loan to an airline to compensate it for losses incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic – Assessment in the light of Article 107(2)(b) TFEU – Criteria – Proportionality of the aid
(Art. 107(2)(b) TFEU)
(see paragraphs 136-146)
6.
Aid granted by a Member State – Prohibition – Derogations – Aid compatible with the internal market – Aid to make good the damage caused by natural disasters or exceptional occurrences – State-guaranteed loan to an airline to compensate it for losses incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic – Assessment in the light of Article 107(2)(b) TFEU – Taking into account all the aid measures granted to companies belonging to the same group as the beneficiary and the relationship between them
(Art. 107(2)(b) TFEU)
(see paragraphs 177-180)
7.
Aid granted by a Member State – Prohibition – Derogations – Aid compatible with the internal market – Aid to make good the damage caused by natural disasters or exceptional occurrences – State-guaranteed loan to an airline to compensate it for losses incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic – Assessment in the light of Article 107(2)(b) TFEU – Assessment of compatibility with the principle of non-discrimination – Criteria – Objective of the aid – Need for the aid – Proportionality of the aid
(Art. 18, first para., and Art. 107(2)(b) TFEU)
(see paragraphs 185-201)
8.
Aid granted by a Member State – Prohibition – Derogations – Aid compatible with the internal market – Aid to make good the damage caused by natural disasters or exceptional occurrences – State-guaranteed loan to an airline to compensate it for losses incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic – Assessment in the light of Article 107(2)(b) TFEU – Infringement of the freedom to provide services and the freedom of establishment – None
(Arts 49, 56 and 107(2)(b) TFEU)
(see paragraphs 204-209)
9.
Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope – Commission decision on State aid – Decision not to open the formal investigation procedure – Brief summary of reasons leading the Commission to conclude that there were no serious difficulties assessing compatibility of the aid concerned with the internal market – Sufficient statement of reasons
(Art. 108(3) and Art. 296, second para., TFEU)
(see paragraphs 214-234)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Ryanair DAC to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Commission and by Condor Flugdienst GmbH;
3.
Orders the Federal Republic of Germany to bear its own costs.