62021CO0547_INF
Order of the Vice-president of the Court of Justice of 13 December 2021 – Portugal v Commission
(Case C‑547/21 P(R))
(Appeal – Interim relief – State aid – Madeira Free Zone (Portugal) – Granting of tax advantages to companies – State aid scheme implemented by the Portuguese Republic – Decision declaring the aid incompatible with the internal market – Urgency – Serious and irreparable harm)
1.
Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable harm – Harm that can be pleaded by a Member State
(Arts 278 and 279 TFEU)
(see paras 22, 23)
2.
Appeals – Grounds – Inadequate statement of reasons – Application in the case of interim orders
(see para. 76)
3.
Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable harm – Burden of proof – Damage foreseeable with a reasonable degree of probability
(Arts 278 and 279 TFEU)
(see paras 78-81)
4.
Interim relief – Procedure – Measures of organisation of procedure – Request to hear witnesses – Discretion of the court hearing the application for interim relief
(Arts 278 and 279 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 157)
(see paras 82-84)
5.
Appeals – Grounds – Incorrect assessment of the facts and evidence – Inadmissibility – Review by the Court of the assessment of the facts and evidence – Possible only where the clear sense of the evidence has been distorted – Ground of appeal alleging distortion of the clear sense of the evidence – Need to indicate precisely the evidence alleged to have been distorted and show the errors of appraisal which led to that distortion – Requirement that the distortion be obvious from the documents in the file
(Art. 256 (1), 2d para., TFEU; Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 58 (1))
(see paras 85-89, 92-94, 101)
6.
Appeals – Grounds – Plea alleging failure to sign an order by the President of the General Court and by the Registrar – Specific measures of organisation implemented within the General Court to ensure the continuity of its operation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 120)
(see paras 115-118)
Operative part
1.
The appeal is dismissed.
2.
The Portuguese Republic shall pay the cost.