62020TJ0575_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 14 September 2022 –SŽ – Tovorni promet v Commission
(Case T‑575/20) (
1
)
(Directive 2014/25/EU – Procurement procedures of entities operating in the water, energy, transport and postal services sectors – Implementing Decision on the applicability of Article 34 of Directive 2014/25 on railway freight transport in Slovenia – Direct exposure to competition – Product market definition – Geographic market definition – Assessment of direct exposure to competition – Principle of good administration – Obligation to state reasons)
1.
Action for annulment – Review of legality – Criteria – Account taken only of elements of fact and law existing at the date on which the contested measure was adopted
(Art. 263 TFEU)
(see paragraph 17)
2.
Approximation of laws – Procedures for awarding contracts in the water, energy, transport and postal services sectors – Directive 2014/25 – Scope – Contracts for an activity directly exposed to competition in the Member State concerned – Burden of proof
(European Parliament and Council Directive 2014/25, recital 44 and Arts 34(1) and 35; Commission Decision 2016/1804, Art. 1)
(see paragraphs 28, 29, 34, 136)
3.
Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope – Assessment of the duty to state reasons by reference to the circumstances of the case – Need to specify all the relevant factual and legal elements –None
(Art. 296 TFEU)
(see paragraphs 47-49)
4.
Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope – Decision falling within a context known to the person concerned, enabling him or her to understand the scope of the measure taken against him or her – Whether summary statement of reasons sufficient
(Art. 296 TFEU)
(see paragraph 72)
5.
Approximation of laws – Procedures for awarding contracts in the water, energy, transport and postal services sectors – Directive 2014/25 – Scope – Contracts for an activity directly exposed to competition in the Member State concerned – Not included – Delimitation of the relevant market – Discretion of the Commission – Judicial review – Limits
(European Parliament and Council Directive 2014/25, Arts 34(1) and 35; Commission Decision 2016/1804, Art. 1)
(see paragraphs 82, 83)
6.
Judicial proceedings – Application initiating proceedings – Formal requirements – Summary of the pleas in law and arguments relied on – Pleas in law and arguments not set out in the application – General reference to other documents – Inadmissibility
(Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 21; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 76(d))
(see paragraph 88)
7.
Approximation of laws – Procedures for awarding contracts in the water, energy, transport and postal services sectors – Directive 2014/25 – Scope – Contracts for an activity directly exposed to competition in the Member State concerned – Not included – Delimitation of the relevant market – Effect of Commission’s previous decision-making practice – None
(European Parliament and Council Directive 2014/25, Arts 34(1) and 35; Commission Decision 2016/1804, Art. 1)
(see paragraph 95)
8.
EU law – Principles – Equal treatment – Meaning
(Charter of Fundamental Rights, Arts 20 and 21)
(see paragraphs 105, 106)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders SŽ – Tovorni promet d.o.o. to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Commission.
(
1
)	OJ C 433, 14.12.2020.