62020TJ0319_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Fourth Chamber, Extended Composition) of 17 May 2023 – GGEW v Commission
(Case T‑319/20) (
1
)
(Competition – Concentrations – German electricity market – Decision declaring the concentration to be compatible with the internal market – Action for annulment – Standing to bring proceedings – Admissibility – Obligation to state reasons – Concept of a ‘single concentration’ – Right to effective judicial protection – Right to be heard – Definition of the market – Period of analysis – Analysis of market power – Decisive influence – Manifest errors of assessment – Duty of diligence)
1.
Judicial proceedings – Intervention – Plea of inadmissibility not raised by the defendant – Inadmissibility – Plea in law based on the applicant’s lack of standing to bring proceedings – Absolute bar to proceeding – To be considered of the Court’s own motion
(Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 40, fourth para., and 53, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Arts 129 and 142(3))
(see paragraphs 27, 28)
2.
Action for annulment – Natural or legal persons – Measures of direct and individual concern to them – Direct concern – Criteria – Commission decision declaring a concentration compatible with the internal market – Action brought by an undertaking competing with the parties to the operation – Decision liable to bring about an immediate change in the state of the market concerned – Direct concern to the applicant
(Art. 263, fourth para., TFEU)
(see paragraph 31)
3.
Action for annulment – Natural or legal persons – Measures of direct and individual concern to them – Individual concern – Criteria – Commission decision declaring a concentration compatible with the internal market – Action brought by an undertaking competing with the parties to the operation – Undertaking having participated actively in the administrative procedure and proved specific circumstances characterising the conditions affecting its market position – Admissibility
(Art. 263, fourth para., TFEU)
(see paragraphs 32, 33, 38, 42-46)
4.
Concentrations between undertakings – Examination by the Commission – Adoption of a decision finding a concentration compatible with the internal market without opening Phase II – Condition – No serious doubts – Economic assessments – Discretion – Judicial review – Limits – Manifest error of assessment
(Art. 263 TFEU; Council Regulation No 139/2004, Arts 2 and 6(1))
(see paragraphs 48-53, 198-201, 209, 350)
5.
EU law – Definition – Interpretation – Taking into account a specific concept appearing only in the preamble to the act in question – Admissibility within the limits of the wording of the actual provisions of that act
(Council Regulation No 139/2004, recital 20 and Art. 3(1))
(see paragraphs 75-79)
6.
Concentrations between undertakings – Examination by the Commission – Single concentration – Concept – Conditions – Interdependent operations conferring on one or more undertakings direct or indirect economic control over the activities of one or more other undertakings – Acquisition by independent undertakings of the control of different targets in an asset swap – Not included – No functional link between the operations at issue
(Council Regulation No 139/2004, recital 20 and Art. 3(1))
(see paragraphs 80-86, 90-94, 97-101)
7.
Concentrations between undertakings – Assessment of the compatibility with the internal market – Creation or reinforcement of a dominant position significantly hindering effective competition in the internal market – Assessment of the anticompetitive effects of the transaction – Operations which are part of a complex asset swap with a relationship of interdependence making it possible to anticipate the likely effects on the market of each concentration – Application of the rule of priority – Not included – Overall assessment of all the evidence incumbent on the Commission
(Council Regulation No 139/2004, Art. 2(3))
(see paragraphs 107-121)
8.
Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope – Decision to apply rules on concentrations between undertakings – Decision authorising a concentration operation
(Art. 296 TFEU; Council Regulation No 139/2004)
(see paragraphs 125-129, 139, 140, 145)
9.
Concentrations between undertakings – Administrative procedure – Obligations of the Commission towards qualified third parties – Right to be heard – Scope
(Council Regulation No 139/2004, Art. 18(4); Commission Regulation No 802/2004, Arts 11(c) and 16(1))
(see paragraphs 154-164)
10.
Concentrations between undertakings – Examination by the Commission – Commission decision declaring a concentration compatible with the internal market – Requirements arising from the principle of effective judicial protection – Adoption of any appropriate publicity necessary to enable interested third parties to the concentration to know the reasons behind it – Publication of a non-confidential version of that decision – Whether sufficient
(Arts 15, 296 and 297(2) TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47; Council Regulation No 139/2004, Art. 6(1)(b))
(see paragraphs 175-188)
11.
Concentrations between undertakings – Assessment of the compatibility with the internal market – Creation or reinforcement of a dominant position significantly hindering effective competition in the internal market – Examination by the Commission – Prospective analysis – Definition of the period of analysis – Criteria
(Council Regulation No 139/2004, Art. 2(2) and (3))
(see paragraphs 230-233)
12.
Concentrations between undertakings – Examination by the Commission – Assessment of the compatibility with the internal market – Compliance with the Guidelines adopted by the Commission – Consideration of the elements of assessment mentioned in those guidelines – Discretion of the Commission – Examination of the market share levels – Judicial review
(Council Regulation No 139/2004, Art. 2; Commission Notice 2004/C 31/03, points 14, 16, 19 to 21 and 27)
(see paragraphs 270, 348, 349)
13.
Concentrations between undertakings – Examination by the Commission – Account taken of data provided by the parties to the concentration – Manifest error of assessment – Burden of proof
(Council Regulation No 139/2004)
(see paragraphs 276-279)
14.
Concentrations between undertakings – Assessment of the compatibility with the internal market – Creation or reinforcement of a dominant position significantly hindering effective competition in the internal market – Assessment of the anticompetitive effects of the transaction – Evidence – High market share
(Council Regulation No 139/2004, Art. 2(3); Commission Notice 2004/C 31/03, point 17)
(see paragraphs 281-283)
15.
Concentrations between undertakings – Assessment of the compatibility with the internal market – Creation or reinforcement of a dominant position significantly hindering effective competition in the internal market – Assessment of the anticompetitive effects of the transaction – Acquisition of a competitor’s minority shareholding – Criteria for assessment – Common shareholding
(Council Regulation No 139/2004, Arts 2(3) and 3(2))
(see paragraphs 366-387)
16.
Concentrations between undertakings – Examination by the Commission – Economic assessments – Discretion – Duty of diligence – Scope
(Council Regulation No 139/2004)
(see paragraphs 399-404)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders GGEW, Gruppen-Gas- und Elektrizitätswerk Bergstraße AG to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Commission, E.ON SE and RWE AG;
3.
Orders the Federal Republic of Germany to bear its own costs.
(
1
)	OJ C 240, 20.7.2020.