62018TJ0757_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 19 January 2022 –Koinopraxia Touristiki Loutrakiou v Commission
(Case T‑757/18)
(State aid – Greek casinos – System providing for a levy of 80% on admission fees of different amounts – Differentiation between public and private casinos – Complaint – Decision declaring the aid incompatible with the internal market and unlawful and ordering its recovery – Annulment of the decision by a decision of the General Court – Decision finding no State aid – Action for annulment – Challengeable act – Admissibility – Rights of the defence)
1.
Judicial proceedings – Intervention – Objection of inadmissibility not raised by the defendant – Inadmissibility – Absolute bar to proceeding – To be considered of the Court’s own motion
(Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 40, fourth para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Arts 129 and 142(3))
(see para. 32)
2.
Action for annulment – Actionable measures – Acts intended to have legal effects – Concept – Commission decision finding no State aid adopted following the annulment of an initial decision finding aid incompatible with the internal market – Annulled decision not closing the formal investigation procedure on all the matters alleged in the complaint originally lodged – Included
(Arts 108(3) and 263 TFEU)
(see paras 44-55)
3.
State aid – Administrative procedure – Obligations of the Commission – Commission decision finding aid incompatible with the internal market and ordering its recovery – Annulment for a manifest error of law and manifest errors of assessment – New analysis required by the annulment judgment able to be carried out by the Commission without starting the investigation of the case afresh – Right to be heard having been respected at the time the annulled decision was adopted – Adoption of a new decision without re-opening the formal investigation procedure – Whether permissible
(Arts 108(2) and 266 TFEU)
(see paras 66-72, 79-89, 91-101)
4.
EU law – Principles – Rights of the defence – Whether applicable to administrative procedures initiated by the Commission – Examination of an unlawful aid measure – Rights benefiting only Member States to the exclusion of interested parties
(Art. 108(2) TFEU)
(see paras 90, 91)
Re:
Application pursuant to Article 263 TFEU seeking annulment of Commission Decision (EU) 2018/1575 of 9 August 2018 on the measures to certain Greek casinos SA.28973 – C 16/2010 (ex NN 22/2010, ex CP 318/2009) implemented by Greece (OJ 2018 L 262, p. 61).
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Koinopraxia Touristiki Loutrakiou AE OTA – Loutraki AE – Klab Otel Loutraki Kazino Touristikes kai Xenodocheiakes Epicheiriseis AE to pay the costs.