62022TO0170(01)_INF
Order of the President of the General Court of 14 July 2022 –Telefónica de España v Commission
(Case T‑170/22 R)
(Interim relief – Public contracts for services – Trans-European Services for Telematics between Administrations (TESTA) – 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 damage – Cumulative nature – Order of examination and method of verification – Discretion of the court hearing the application for interim relief – Balancing of all the interests involved
(Arts 256(1), 278 and 279 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 156(4))
(see paras 16-19)
2.
Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Assessment in public procurement litigation – Serious damage – Sufficient in the case of a particularly serious prima facie case constituted by an obvious and serious illegality – Condition – Application for interim measures brought in the standstill period before conclusion of the contract with the successful tenderer
(Art. 278 TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47; European Parliament and Council Regulation 2018/1046, Art. 175)
(see paras 25-28, 31, 32, 38)
3.
Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable damage – Burden of proof – Financial loss – Obligation to provide concrete and precise indications, supported by detailed documentary evidence – Need to provide a true overall picture of the financial situation
(Arts 268 and 340 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 156(4))
(see paras 55, 57-60)
4.
Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable damage – Financial loss – Decision to exclude a tenderer from a tender procedure – Loss of opportunity – Damage to its reputation – Damage which cannot be regarded as irreparable
(Arts 268, 278, 279 and 340 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 156(4))
(see paras 56, 70)
5.
Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable damage – Financial loss – Assessment according to the circumstances of the case – Damage linked to the loss of opportunity to be awarded or to perform a public contract – Considerable nature of the damage
(Arts 278 and 279 TFEU)
(see paras 61-63)
6.
Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable damage – Financial loss – Damage which cannot be quantified – Damage not reparable by means of an action for damages – Irreparable character
(Arts 268, 278, 279 and 340 TFEU)
(see para. 65)
7.
Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable damage – Purely hypothetical damage based on the occurrence of future and uncertain events – Insufficient to demonstrate urgency
(Arts 278 and 279 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 156(4))
(see para. 76)
8.
Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable damage – Burden of proof – Need to plead the risk of suffering that damage personally
(Arts 278 and 279 TFEU)
(see para. 80)
Operative part
1.
The application for interim measures is dismissed.
2.
The order of 1 April 2022, Telefónica de España v Commission (T‑170/22 R), is cancelled.
3.
There is no longer any need to rule on the application to intervene lodged by the company BT Global Services Belgium BV.
4.
The costs are reserved, with the exception of those incurred by the company BT Global Services Belgium BV. It shall bear the costs in connection with its application to intervene.