62019CJ0847_INF
Judgment of the Court (Ninth Chamber) of 29 April 2021 – Achemos Grupė and Achema v Commission
(Case C‑847/19 P) (
1
)
(Appeal – State aid – Decision not to raise any objections – Article 108 TFUE – Rights of the interested parties – Principle of sound administration – Diligent and impartial investigation – Scope of the review by the General Court – Obligation to state reasons)
1.
State aid – Examination by the Commission – No observations by the persons concerned – Not relevant to the validity of the Commission decision – Obligation to examine matters not expressly invoked by the Commission’s own motion – None
(Art. 108(2) TFEU)
(see paras 45-47)
2.
State aid – Examination of complaints – Obligations of the Commission – Examination of matters not expressly raised by the complainant of the Commission’s own motion
(Art.108 TFEU)
(see paras 48-50)
3.
State aid – Administrative procedure – Obligations of the Commission – Diligent and impartial examination – Account taken of the most complete and reliable information possible – Scope of the obligation
(Art. 108(2) TFEU)
(see paras 51-53)
4.
Appeal – Grounds – Inadequate statement of reasons – Scope of the obligation to state reasons – Obligation for the General Court to clearly and unequivocally disclose its reasoning
(Art. 256(1), 2d al., TFEU; Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 36 and 53, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 117(m))
(see paras 60, 63-66)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the main appeal;
2.
Declares that there is no need to adjudicate on the cross-appeal;
3.
Orders Achemos Grupė UAB and Achema AB to bear their own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Commission in respect of the main appeal;
4.
Orders Achemos Grupė UAB, Achema AB and the Commission to bear their own costs in respect of the cross-appeal;
5.
Orders the Republic of Lithuania and Klaipėdos Nafta AB to bear their own costs in respect of both the main appeal and the cross-appeal.
(
1
)	OJ C 19, 20.1.2020.