62021TO0095_INF
Order of the President of the General Court of 22 June 2021 –Portugal v Commission
(Case T‑95/21 R)
(Interim relief – State aid – Aid scheme implemented by Portugal in favour of the Madeira Free Zone – Application of that aid scheme in breach of Commission Decisions C(2007) 3037 final and C(2013) 4043 final – Decision declaring the aid scheme incompatible with the internal market and ordering the recovery of aid – Application for interim measures – Lack of urgency)
1.
Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Prima facie case – Urgency – Serious and irreparable harm – Cumulative nature – Balancing of all the interests involved – Order of examination and method of verification – Discretion of the court hearing the application for interim relief
(Arts 256(1), 278 and 279 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 156(4))
(see paras 15-18)
2.
Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable harm – Burden of proof – Obligation to provide concrete and precise indications, supported by detailed documentary evidence
(Arts 256(1), 278 and 279 TFEU)
(see paras 22-24)
3.
Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable harm – Harm that can be pleaded by a Member State – Obligation to establish that, without the interim measure, State functions, public order or an entire sector of the economy would be seriously affected
(Arts 278 and 279 TFEU)
(see para. 25)
4.
Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Conditions for granting – Balancing of all the interests involved – Commission decision ordering recovery of State aid – Public interest defended by the Commission and the interest of the beneficiary of the aid – No urgency or exceptional circumstances – Primacy of the public interest
(Arts 108(2) and 278 TFEU)
(see paras 29-38)
5.
Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Serious and irreparable harm – Damage having already occurred – Reparation outside the purpose of the interim proceedings
(Arts 278 and 279 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 156(2))
(see para. 43)
Re:
Application under Articles 278 and 279 TFEU for interim measures seeking, first, suspension of operation of Commission Decision C(2020) 8550 final of 4 December 2020 on aid scheme SA.21259 (2018/C) (ex 2018/NN) implemented by Portugal in favour of the Madeira Free Zone (MFZ) – Regime III and, second, that the Commission be ordered not to publish that decision in the Official Journal of the European Union until a judgment has been delivered in the main proceedings.
Operative part
1.
The application for interim measures is dismissed.
2.
The costs are reserved.