62023TJ0018_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 10 September 2025 –Greece v Commission
(Case T‑18/23)
(EAGF and EAFRD – Withdrawal of financial assistance – Interventions under the ‘Guidance’ Section of the EAGGF – Legal basis – Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 – Application ratione temporis – Application ratione materiae – Manifest error of assessment – Transitional provisions)
1.
Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope – Decision on the clearance of accounts in respect of expenditure financed by EAGGF, EAGF and EAFRD – Reference to the legal basis of a measure – Assessment of the obligation to state reasons by reference to the circumstances of the case
(Art. 296 TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2)(c); European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1306/2013, Arts 52(1) and 54(5); Council Regulation No 4253/88, Art. 23(1), third indent; Commission Regulation No 1681/94, Art. 5(1) and (2))
(see paragraphs 30-36)
2.
Agriculture – EAGGF, EAGF and EAFRD financing – Clearance of accounts – Principles – Member States’ duty of diligence – Commission's obligation to allow Member States time for correction before disallowing expenditure
(Art. 4(3) TEU)
(see paragraphs 39-41)
3.
Agriculture – EAGGF, EAGF and EAFRD financing – Clearance of accounts – Recovery of sums unduly paid – Regulation No 1306/2013 – Matters covered – Past expenditure of the EAGGF-Guidance Section – Included
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No1306/2013, Arts 4(1), 5, 52(1), 54(5) and 119; Council Regulations No 1258/1999, Art. 1(3), and No 1290/2005, Arts 4, 31, 32(8) and 47(2))
(see paragraphs 50-58)
4.
Agriculture – EAGGF, EAGF and EAFRD financing – Clearance of accounts – Recovery of sums unduly paid – Decision requiring Member States to recover sums paid under the EAGGF-Guidance Section following an irregularity – Application of a substantive rule in force at the time of the facts – Need to apply a substantive rule in force at the time the contested decision was adopted – None
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1306/2013, Art. 122(2); Council Regulations No 2052/88, Art. 2, and No 4253/88, Art. 23)
(see paragraphs 59-68)
5.
Action for annulment – Action brought against a Commission decision excluding funding from the Union on the grounds of irregularities – Substantive rule that does not apply to the irregularities referred to in the contested decision – Error regarding the legal basis, which does not affect the Commission’s assessment of the merits of the case
(Council Regulation No 4253/88, Art. 23; Commission Regulation No 1681/94, Arts 1, first para., 5 and 13)
(see paragraphs 80-92)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders each party to bear its own costs.