62020CO0084_INF
Order of the Court (Ninth Chamber) of 28 October 2020 – Sarantos and Others v Parliament and Council
(Case C‑84/20 P) (
1
)
(Appeal – Article 181 of the Rules of Procedure of the Court – EU citizenship – Strengthening the security of identity cards of Union citizens and of residence documents issued to Union citizens and their family members exercising their right of free movement – Regulation (EU) 2019/1157 – Action for annulment – Legal standing – Lack of individual concern – Article 19 of the Statute of the Court of Justice of the European Union – Obligation for a party to be represented by a lawyer – Applicant, also a lawyer, acting in his own name by signing the application himself, without engaging the services of a third-party lawyer to represent him – Appeal manifestly unfounded)
1.
Action for annulment – Natural or legal persons – Meaning of ‘regulatory act’ in Article 263, fourth paragraph, TFEU – Any act of general scope other than legislative acts
(Art. 263, fourth para., TFEU)
(see para. 29)
2.
Action for annulment – Natural or legal persons – Measures of direct and individual concern to them – Regulation on strengthening the security of identity documents of Union citizens and of residence documents issued to those citizens and their family members exercising their right of free movement – Action of Greek citizens – Not individually concerned – Inadmissibility
(Art. 263, fourth para., TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 2019/1157)
(see paras 31, 32)
3.
Action for annulment – Natural or legal persons – Measures of direct and individual concern to them – Absolute bar to proceeding – Seriousness of the failure of the institution concerned to fulfil obligations – Irrelevant
(Art. 263, fourth para., TFEU)
(see para. 34)
4.
Fundamental rights – Right to effective judicial protection – Review of legality of EU measures – Procedures – Protection of that right by the EU judicature or by the national courts according to the legal nature of the contested measure – Possibility of using an annulment action or reference for a preliminary ruling on validity
(Arts 19(1) TEU; Art. 263, fourth para., 267 and 277 TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47)
(see paras 36-39)
5.
Judicial proceedings – Application initiating proceedings – Formal requirements – Application lodged without the assistance of a lawyer – Applicant with the status of lawyer authorised to practise before a national court – Irrelevant – Inadmissibility
(Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 19, third and fourth paras.)
(see paras 52-56)
Operative part
1.
Dismisses the appeal brought by Mr Christos Papasotirou as inadmissible;
2.
Dismisses the appeal brought by Mr Sarantis Sarantos, Mr Ioannis Fotopoulos, Mr Antonios Bousdekis, Mr Vasileios Kokolakis, Mr Estia Paterikon Meleton and Mr Charalampos Andralis as manifestly unfounded;
3.
Orders Mr Sarantis Sarantos, Mr Ioannis Fotopoulos, Mr Antonios Bousdekis, Mr Vasileios Kokolakis, Mr Estia Paterikon Meleton, Mr Christos Papasotirou and Mr Charalampos Andralis to pay their own costs.
(
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)	OJ C 161, 11.5.2020.