Case C‑42/21 P
Lietuvos geležinkeliai AB
v
European Commission
Judgment of the Court (Third Chamber) of 12 January 2023
( Appeal – Competition – Abuse of dominant position – Rail freight market – Decision finding an infringement of Article 102 TFEU – Access by third-party undertakings to infrastructure managed by Lithuania’s national railway company – Removal of a section of railway track – Concept of ‘abuse’ – Actual or likely exclusion of a competitor – Exercise by the General Court of its powers of unlimited jurisdiction – Reduction of the fine )
1.        Appeal – Grounds – Incorrect assessment of the facts and evidence – Inadmissibility – Review by the Court of Justice of the assessment of the facts and evidence – Possible only where the facts or evidence have been distorted
(Art. 256 TFEU; Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 58, first para.)
(see paragraphs 60, 61, 112, 127, 139)
2.        Dominant position – Abuse – Concept – Objective concept relating to conduct which is such as to influence the structure of a market and having the effect of hindering the maintenance or growth of competition – Obligations on the dominant undertaking
(Art. 102 TFEU)
(see paragraphs 76, 77)
3.        Dominant position – Abuse – Refusal of an undertaking in a dominant position to allow another undertaking access to a product or service necessary for its business – Access by third-party undertakings to infrastructure managed by the national railway company – National railway company having a legal monopoly over infrastructure management – Removal of track by that national company – Regulatory framework requiring access and that railway infrastructure be ensured to be in a good condition – None
(Art. 102 TFEU)
(see paragraphs 78-83, 86-89, 91)
4.        Competition – Fines – Amount – Determination – Discretion of the Commission – Judicial review – Unlimited jurisdiction of the EU judicature – Scope – Limits – Compliance with the obligation to state reasons – Respect for the principle of equal treatment
(Arts 101, 102, 261 and 263 TFEU; Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 36 and 53, first para.; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 31)
(see paragraphs 151, 152, 154)
5.        Appeal – Jurisdiction of the Court – Whether it may review, on grounds of fairness, the assessment by the General Court in regard to the amount of the fines imposed on undertakings which have infringed the competition rules of the Treaty – Not included – Challenge to that assessment on grounds alleging breach of the principle of proportionality – Whether permissible
(Arts 101, 102, 256(1) and 261 TFEU; Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 58, first para.; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 31)
(see paragraphs 153, 159)
See the text of the decision.