62023TJ0606_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 2 October 2024 –Soares v Commission
(Case T‑606/23) (
1
)
(Access to documents – Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 – Documents in the administrative file relating to a Commission State aid decision – Refusal of access – Exceptions relating to the protection of court proceedings and the purpose of investigations – General presumption of confidentiality – Overriding public interest – Obligation to state reasons)
1.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Regulation No 1049/2001 – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Obligation to state reasons – Scope
(Art. 296, second para., TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(1); European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(2), second and third indents)
(see paragraphs 19, 20, 23)
2.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Regulation No 1049/2001 – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Refusal to grant access – Requirement that the institution should examine the documents specifically and individually – Possibility to base reasoning on general presumptions applying to certain categories of documents – Limits – Rebuttal of that presumption – Requirement to rely on circumstances such as to establish the existence of an overriding interest which outweighs the reasons justifying refusal of access
(Art. 15(3) TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 42; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, recitals 4 and 11 and Arts 1 and 4(2) and (3))
(see paragraphs 37, 38, 40, 41, 58, 67)
3.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Regulation No 1049/2001 – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Protection of the purpose of inspections, investigations and audits – Scope – Application to administrative files relating to procedures for reviewing State aid – Maintenance of the presumption after closure of the procedure
(Art. 108 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(2), third indent; Council Regulation 2015/1589)
(see paragraphs 43, 46, 50, 51, 53-56)
4.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Regulation No 1049/2001 – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Protection of the purpose of inspections, investigations and audits – Overriding public interest justifying the disclosure of documents – Invocation of the principle of transparency – Need to put forward particular considerations in relation to the case
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(2), third indent, and (3))
(see paragraphs 59, 60, 63, 66, 67)
5.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Regulation No 1049/2001 – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Overriding public interest justifying the disclosure of documents – Concept – Pursuit of an action for annulment – Not included
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(3))
(see paragraph 71)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Ms Sara Soares to bear her own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Commission.
(
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)	OJ C 1169, 4.12.2023.