62020TJ0570_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Fourth Chamber) of 26 January 2022 –Kedrion v EMA
(Case T‑570/20)
(Access to documents – Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 – Collection and processing of plasma – Plasma master file – Refusal to grant access – Exception relating to the protection of the commercial interests of a third party – Incorrect determination of the subject matter of the application – Obligation to base the refusal to grant access on specific and concrete reasons)
1.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Regulation No 1049/2001 – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Protection of the commercial interests of a third party – Refusal of access due to incorrect determination of the subject matter of the application – Possibility of granting partial access to documents
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(2), first indent)
(see paras 36, 37, 49)
2.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Regulation No 1049/2001 – Scope – Application for access seeking to obtain a search in databases – Included – Limits
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001)
(see paras 41-45)
3.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Regulation No 1049/2001 – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Obligation to state reasons – Scope – Obligation to base the refusal to grant access on specific and concrete reasons
(Art. 296 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Arts 4 and 8(1))
(see paras 55, 56, 60, 65, 89, 100)
4.
Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope – Regulation of insufficient reasoning during the contentious procedure – Conditions – Exceptional circumstances
(Art. 296 TFEU)
(see paras 108, 109)
Re:
Application under Article 263 TFEU seeking annulment of the EMA’s decision of 10 July 2020 refusing to grant the applicant access to the list of blood collection and processing centres appearing in the plasma master file of the pharmaceutical company Takeda.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Annuls the decision of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) of 10 July 2020 refusing to grant Kedrion SpA access to the list of blood collection and processing centres appearing in the plasma master file of the pharmaceutical company Takeda;
2.
Orders the EMA to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Kedrion;
3.
Orders Baxter AG and Baxter Manufacturing SpA to each bear their own costs.