62022CJ0438_SUM
Case C-438/22
Em akaunt BG ЕООD
v
Zastrahovatelno aktsionerno druzhestvo Armeets AD
(Request for a preliminary ruling from the Sofiyski rayonen sad)
Judgment of the Court (Second Chamber) of 25 January 2024
(Reference for a preliminary ruling – Competition – Agreements, decisions and concerted practices – Article 101 TFEU – Setting of minimum fee amounts by a lawyers’ professional organisation – Decision by an association of undertakings – Court prohibited from ordering reimbursement of fees in an amount less than those minimum amounts – Restriction of competition – Justifications – Legitimate objectives – Quality of the services provided by the lawyers – Implementation of the judgment of 23 November 2017, CHEZ Elektro Bulgaria and FrontEx International (C‑427/16 and C‑428/16, EU:C:2017:890) – Whether the Wouters case-law may be relied on in a situation involving a restriction of competition by object)
Agreements, decisions and concerted practices – Adverse effect on competition – Criteria for assessment – Content and objective of a cartel and economic and legal context of its development – Distinction between infringements by object and infringements by effect – National rules providing for mandatory minimum fees set by a professional association of lawyers – Justification in the light of legitimate objectives in the public interest in the event of categorisation as a restriction by effect – Exemption allowed under Article 101(3) TFEU in the event of categorisation as a restriction by object
(Art. 101(1) and (3) TFEU)
(see paragraphs 28-34)
Competition – EU rules – Obligations of the Member States – Prohibition on adopting or maintaining in force measures undermining the effectiveness of those rules – National rules providing for mandatory minimum fees set by a professional association of lawyers – Rules contrary to competition law – Obligations of national courts – Non-application of those rules to the party ordered to pay the costs of lawyers’ fees – Party not having signed a contract for lawyers’ services and fees – Irrelevant
(Art. 4(3) TEU; Art. 101 TFEU)
(see paragraphs 37-41, operative part 1)
Agreements, decisions and concerted practices – Adverse effect on competition – Decisions by associations of undertakings – Setting of minimum fee amounts by a lawyers’ professional organisation – National rules preventing a lawyer and their client from agreeing on fees lower than those minimum amounts – National courts not permitted to order reimbursement of a fee amount lower than those minimum amounts – Restriction by object
(Art. 101(1) TFEU)
(see paragraphs 44-54, operative part 2)
Agreements, decisions and concerted practices – Adverse effect on competition – National rules providing for mandatory minimum fees set by a professional association of lawyers – Automatic nullity – Obligations of national courts – Non-application of those rules – Minimum amounts provided for by those rules reflecting actual market prices for lawyers’ services – Irrelevant
(Art. 4(3) TEU; Art. 101(2) TFEU)
(see paragraphs 56-61, operative part 3)
See the text of the decision.