62018TJ0218_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 19 May 2021 –Deutsche Lufthansa v Commission
(Case T‑218/18)
(State aid – Aviation sector – Operational aid granted by Germany to Frankfurt-Hahn airport – Decision not to raise objections – Action for annulment – Status as an interested party – Safeguard of procedural rights – Admissibility – Guidelines on aid in the aviation sector – Doubts as to the compatibility of the aid with the internal market – Article 4(4) of Regulation (EU) 2015/1589 – Serious difficulties)
1.
Action for annulment – Natural or legal persons – Measures of direct and individual concern to them – Commission decision finding State aid compatible with the internal market without opening the formal investigation procedure – Action by interested parties within the meaning of Article 108(2) TFEU – Action designed to safeguard the procedural rights of the persons concerned – Admissibility
(Arts 108(2) and 263, fourth para., TFEU; Council Regulation 2015/1589, Art. 1(h))
(see paras 32-64)
2.
Judicial proceedings – Application initiating proceedings – Formal requirements – Identification of the subject matter of the dispute – Brief statement of the pleas in law on which the application is based
(Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 21, first para., and 53, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 76(d))
(see paras 68-71)
3.
Action for annulment – Natural or legal persons – Interest in bringing proceedings – Commission decision finding State aid compatible with the internal market without opening the formal investigation procedure – Interested party alleging the existence of other aid subject to another procedure – Whether abusive – None – Admissibility
(see paras 72-74)
4.
Judicial proceedings – Production of evidence – Time limit – Evidence lodged out of time – Conditions
(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 85(1) and (3))
(see paras 77-98)
5.
State aid – Planned aid – Examination by the Commission – Preliminary review and main review – Compatibility of aid with the internal market – Difficulties of assessment – Commission’s duty to initiate the main review procedure – Serious difficulties – Concept – Objective nature – Burden of proof – Circumstances enabling the existence of such difficulties to be established – Insufficiency or incompleteness of the examination carried out by the Commission
(Art. 108(2) and (3) TFEU; Council Regulation 2015/1589, Art. 4)
(see paras 100-110, 126, 140, 141, 148, 149, 162, 179, 196, 197, 203, 204, 211, 216, 219)
6.
State aid – Prohibition – Exceptions – Discretion of the Commission – Adoption by the Commission of guidelines governing the compatibility of aid with the internal market – Consequences – Self-limitation of its discretion
(Art. 107(3) TFEU; Commission Notice 2014/C 99/03)
(see paras 184, 185)
7.
State aid – Prohibition – Exceptions – Aid capable of being regarded as compatible with the internal market – Operating aid of an airport – Analysis of the existence of an objective of common interest – Requirement for a definition of the catchment area of the airport which is the beneficiary of the aid – Concept – Criteria for assessment – Failure to take account of all the relevant factors
(Art. 107(3) TFEU; Commission Notice 2014/C 99/03)
(see paras 186-195)
Re:
Application under Article 263 TFEU seeking annulment of Commission Decision C(2017) 5289 final of 31 July 2017, on State aid SA.47969 (2017/N) implemented by Germany concerning operating aid granted to Frankfurt-Hahn airport.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Annuls Commission Decision C(2017) 5289 final of 31 July 2017, on State aid SA.47969 (2017/N) implemented by Germany concerning operating aid granted to Frankfurt-Hahn airport;
2.
Orders the European Commission to pay its own costs and bear those incurred by Deutsche Lufthansa AG;
3.
Orders the Federal Republic of Germany and the Land Rheinland-Pfalz to bear their own costs.