62017TJ0414_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber, Extended Composition) of 23 September 2020 –Hypo Vorarlberg Bank v SRB
(Case T‑414/17)
(Economic and monetary union – Banking union – Single Resolution Mechanism for credit institutions and certain investment firms (SRM) – Single Resolution Fund (SRF) – Decision of the SRB on the calculation of the 2017 ex ante contributions – Action for annulment – Direct and individual concern – Admissibility – Essential procedural requirements – Authentication of the decision – Obligation to state reasons – Limitation of the temporal effects of the judgment)
1.
Action for annulment – Natural or legal persons – Locus standi – Measures of direct and individual concern to them – Decisions of the Single Resolution Board (SRB) on the calculation of the ex ante contributions to the Single Resolution Fund (SRF) – Direct and individual concern of an institution owing those contributions
(Art. 263, fourth para. TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 806/2014, Arts 67(4) and 70(2))
(see paras 26, 27, 62, 65)
2.
Action for annulment – Pleas in law – Infringement of essential procedural requirements – Lack of authentication of the contested decision – Need to rely on harm or defects other than lack of authentication – None – Issue that must be raised of the Court’s own motion
(Art. 263 TFEU)
(see paras 29, 31-36)
3.
Action for annulment – Pleas in law – Infringement of essential procedural requirements – Lack of authentication of the contested decision – Annex to the contested decision constituting an essential component thereof – Electronic document not signed and not inextricably linked to the text of the contested decision
(Art. 263 TFEU)
(see paras 40, 41, 48)
4.
Action for annulment – Pleas in law – Infringement of essential procedural requirements – Lack of authentication of an act – Absence of or inadequate statement of reasons – Issue that must be raised of the Court’s own motion
(Arts 263 and 296 TFEU)
(see paras 43, 44, 100)
5.
Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope – Close connection between the obligation to state reasons and the right to effective judicial protection
(Art. 296, second para. TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47)
(see paras 57-61, 63)
6.
Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope – Decision of the Single Resolution Board (SRB) on the calculation of the ex ante contributions to the Single Resolution Fund (SRF) – Opacity of the calculation of the ex ante contributions – Calculation relying in an interdependent manner on the confidential data of the other institutions – Infringement of the obligation to state reasons stemming, in respect of the part of the calculation relating to the risk adjustment, from the illegal nature, alleged by means of a plea in law, of Articles 4 to 7 and 9 of, and Annex I to, Delegated Regulation 2015/63
(Arts 296 and 277 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 806/2014, Arts 67(4) and 70(2); Commission Regulation 2015/63, Arts 4 to 7 and 9 and Annex I; European Parliament and Council Directive 2014/59, Art. 103)
(see paras 66, 69, 76, 81, 84, 98, 100, 102)
7.
Action for annulment – Judgment annulling a measure – Effects – Limitation by the Court – Decision of the Single Resolution Board (SRB) establishing the ex ante contributions to the Single Resolution Fund (SRF) – Annulment calling into question the collection of sums of money made on the basis of the annulled measure – Risk of undermining the legal certainty of the interests involved – None
(Art. 264, second para. TFEU)
(see paras 106-109)
Re:
Application based on Article 263 TFEU seeking annulment of the decision of the SRB in its executive session of 11 April 2017 on the calculation of the 2017 ex-ante contributions to the Single Resolution Fund (SRB/ES/SRF/2017/05), in so far as it concerns the applicant.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
annuls the decision of the Single Resolution Board (SRB) in its executive session of 11 April 2017 on the calculation of the 2017 ex-ante contributions to the Single Resolution Fund (SRB/ES/SRF/2017/05), in so far as it concerns Hypo Vorarlberg Bank AG;
2.
orders the SRB to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Hypo Vorarlberg Bank.