62019TJ0552(01)_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Fourth Chamber) of 28 September 2022 –Malacalza Investimenti v ECB
(Case T‑552/19 OP)
(Access to documents – Decision 2004/258/EC – ECB’s decision to place Banca Carige under temporary administration – Refusal of access – Exception relating to the protection of the confidentiality of information protected as such under EU law – General presumption of confidentiality – Exception relating to the protection of the commercial interests of a particular natural or legal person, including intellectual property – Meaning of confidential information – Obligation to state reasons – Opposition)
1.
Judicial proceedings – Opposition – Free choice by the opposing party of its pleas
(Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 41; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 166)
(see paragraphs 28, 30)
2.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Decision 2004/258 of the European Central Bank (ECB) – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Exception relating to the protection of the confidentiality of information that is protected as such under EU law – Requirement that the institution should examine the documents specifically and individually – Scope – No possibility to base reasoning on general presumptions applying to certain categories of documents
(Decision of the European Central Bank 2004/258, as amended by Decisions 2011/342 and 2015/529, Art. 4(1)(c))
(see paragraphs 46-48)
3.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Decision 2004/258 of the European Central Bank (ECB) – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Exception relating to the protection of the confidentiality of information that is protected as such under EU law – Scope – Respect of the principle of legal certainty – No general presumption of confidentiality
(Decision of the European Central Bank 2004/258, as amended by Decisions 2011/342 and 2015/529, Art. 4(1)(c))
(see paragraphs 51-53)
4.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Decision 2004/258 of the European Central Bank (ECB) – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Exception relating to the protection of the confidentiality of information that is protected as such under EU law – Scope – Criteria for assessing the concept of confidential information – General presumption of confidentiality – Not permissible
(Decision of the European Central Bank 2004/258, as amended by Decisions 2011/342 and 2015/529, Art. 4(1)(c))
(see paragraphs 60, 66, 67)
5.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Decision 2004/258 of the European Central Bank (ECB) – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Exception relating to the protection of the confidentiality of information that is protected as such under EU law – Scope – General presumption of confidentiality – Presumption not open to rebuttal – Not permissible
(Decision of the European Central Bank 2004/258, as amended by Decisions 2011/342 and 2015/529, Art. 4(1)(c))
(see paragraphs 68-71)
6.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Decision 2004/258 of the European Central Bank – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Decision refusing access – Obligation to state reasons – Scope
(Decision of the European Central Bank 2004/258, Art. 4(1))
(see paragraphs 81, 82, 100)
7.
Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope – Decisions – Correction of an error of reasoning during the proceedings before the Court – Not permissible
(Art. 296 TFEU)
(see paragraph 99)
8.
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 given person – Scope
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(2), 1st indent)
(see paragraphs 109, 110)
9.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Regulation No 1049/2001 – Requirement that the institution should examine the documents specifically and individually – Scope
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001 Art. 4)
(see paragraph 113)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the application to have set aside the judgment of 25 June 2020, Malacalza Investimenti v ECB, T‑552/19, EU:T:2020:294, delivered by default, which annulled the ECB’s decision of 12 June 2019 refusing access to its decision of 1 January 2019 placing Banca Carige SpA under temporary administration and to other documents relating thereto and, consequently, confirms the annulment of the ECB’s decision of 12 June 2019 set out in the judgment by default;
2.
Orders the ECB to pay the costs.