Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 20 March 2014 — Reagens v Commission
(Case T‑181/10)
Access to documents — Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 — Documents relating to requests that certain undertakings’ inability to pay be taken into account in cartel proceedings — Refusal of access — Exception relating to the protection of commercial interests of a third party — Exception relating to the protection of the purpose of inspections, investigations and audits — Overriding public interest — Obligation to carry out a concrete and individual examination — Partial access
1.                     Judicial proceedings — Application initiating proceedings — Defence — Formal requirements — Handwritten signature of a lawyer — No obligation to sign copies in conformity with the original (Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 43(1)) (see paras 43-45)
2.                     Actions for annulment — Jurisdiction of the EU judicature — Claim seeking that directions be issued to an institution — Inadmissibility (Art. 263 TFEU) (see para. 49)
3.                     Institutions of the European Union — Right of public access to documents — Regulation No 1049/2001 — Requirement that the institution should examine the documents specifically and individually — Scope (European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4) (see paras 64, 65)
4.                     Institutions of the European Union — Right of public access to documents — Regulation No 1049/2001 — Exceptions to the right of access to documents — Strict interpretation and application — Protection of the commercial interests of a given person — Protection of the objectives of inspection, investigation and audit activities — Application to documents relating to requests that account be taken of certain undertakings’ lack of contribution in the context of cartel proceedings — Limits (European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(2), first and third indents; Commission Notice 2006/C 210/02, point 35) (see paras 85-87, 90-93, 100-106, 116-118, 126-129)
5.                     Institutions of the European Union — Right of public access to documents — Regulation No 1049/2001 — Exceptions to the right of access to documents — Documents originating from third parties — Requirement for prior consultation of the third parties concerned — Opposition of a third party other than a Member State to the disclosure of documents — No obligation on the institution not to disclose them without prior agreement (European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(4) and (5)) (see paras 96-99)
6.                     Institutions of the European Union — 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 — Subjective interest of the person concerned in defending himself — Not included (Art. 15 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Arts 2(1), and 4(3), second para.) (see paras 142-144)
Re:
APPLICATION for annulment of Commission Decision Gestdem No 2009/5145 of 23 February 2010, refusing the applicant access to certain documents in the file in Case COMP/38589 — Heat stabilisers, on the basis of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents (OJ 2001 L 145, p. 43).
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Annuls Commission Decision Gestdem No 2009/5145 of 23 February 2010, refusing the applicant access to certain documents in the administrative file in Case COMP/38589 — Heat stabilisers, on the basis of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents, to the extent that it refuses access to the non-confidential versions of the undertakings’ requests and to the European Commission’s first questionnaire;
2.
Dismisses the action as to the remainder;
3.
Orders Reagens SpA to pay half of its own costs and half of the costs incurred by the Commission;
4.
Orders the Commission to pay half of its own costs and half of the costs incurred by Reagens.