62021TJ0715_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber, Extended Composition) of 2 July 2025 – Cellnex Telecom and Retevisión I v Commission
(Case T‑715/21)
(State aid – Digital television – Aid for the deployment of DTT in remote and less urbanised areas (outside Castilla-La Mancha) – Decision declaring the aid unlawful and incompatible with the internal market – Decision to initiate the formal investigation procedure – Article 6(1) of Regulation (EU) 2015/1589 – Procedural rights of interested parties – Rights of the defence – Selectivity – Burden of proof)
1.
Action for annulment – Grounds – Pleas that may be raised against a Commission decision on State aid – Pleas raised by interested parties against a decision declaring aid unlawful and incompatible and ordering its recovery – Pleas relating to the decision to open the formal investigation procedure – Admissibility
(Arts 108(2) and 263 TFEU)
(see paragraphs 29-31)
2.
Aid granted by a Member State – Examination by the Commission – Decision to open the formal investigation procedure provided for in Article 108(2) TFEU – Obligation to state reasons – Scope – Decision to enable interested parties to participate effectively in the formal investigation procedure – Summary of the relevant issues of fact and law – Joint examination of the conditions of selectivity and economic advantage – Whether permissible
(Art. 108(2) TFEU; Council Regulation No 659/1999, Arts 1(h) and 6(1))
(see paragraphs 42-64)
3.
Action for annulment – Judgment annulling a measure – Effects – Annulment of a Commission decision finding an infringement of the State aid rules – Retroactive effect of annulment – Adoption of a new decision finding the existence of aid that is unlawful and incompatible with the internal market and ordering its recovery – Whether permissible – Conditions – Decision adopted in compliance with both the statement of reasons and the operative part of the judgment annulling the measure
(Art. 266 TFEU)
(see paragraphs 70-75)
4.
Aid granted by a Member State – Examination by the Commission – Administrative procedure – Obligation of the Commission to give notice to the parties concerned to submit their comments – Obligation of the Commission to communicate to the Member State concerned the comments of other interested parties on the decision to open the formal investigation procedure – Scope
(Art. 108 TFEU; Council Regulation No 2015/1589, Art. 6)
(see paragraphs 79-84)
5.
Aid granted by a Member State – Concept – Selective nature of the measure – Differentiation between undertakings in a comparable factual and legal situation in the light of the objective of the reference system – Identification of the objective
(Art. 107(1) TFEU)
(see paragraphs 93, 165-172)
6.
Aid granted by a Member State – Concept – Selective nature of the measure – Differentiation between undertakings in a comparable factual and legal situation in the light of the objective of the reference system – Assessment based on the situation existing at the time the measure at issue is adopted – Burden of proof
(Art. 107(1) TFEU)
(see paragraphs 101-129)
7.
Aid granted by a Member State – Concept – Selective nature of the measure – Public funding to support the process of digitisation of broadcasting in certain areas – Criteria for assessment – Determination of the reference framework
(Art. 107(1) TFEU)
(see paragraphs 132-161)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Cellnex Telecom, SA and Retevisión I, SA to bear their own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Commission and SES Astra SA.