62017TJ0323_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Fourth Chamber, Extended Composition) of 30 March 2022 – Martinair Holland v Commission
(Case T‑323/17) (
1
)
(Competition – Agreements, decisions and concerted practices – Market for airfreight – Decision finding an infringement of Article 101 TFEU, Article 53 of the EEA Agreement and Article 8 of the Agreement between the European Community and Switzerland on Air Transport – Coordination of elements of the price of air freight services (fuel surcharge, security surcharge, payment of commission on surcharges) – Exchange of information – Territorial jurisdiction of the Commission – Single and continuous infringement – Equal treatment – Obligation to state reasons)
1.
Judicial proceedings – Application initiating proceedings – Formal requirements – Identification of the subject matter of the dispute – Summary of the pleas in law on which the application is based – Application seeking the annulment of a decision applying competition rules adopted by the Commission following the annulment of an earlier decision – Observations regarding the scope of the contested decision – No connection to the pleas and complaints raised in support of the action or the subject matter of that action – Inadmissibility
(Art. 263 TFEU; Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 21, first para., and 53, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 76)
(see paragraphs 68-70, 245)
2.
Competition – Transport – Competition rules – Air transport – Regulation No 411/2004 – Scope – EU-third country routes and non-EU EEA-third country routes – Inbound airfreight services – Included
(Arts 101 and 102 TFEU; EEA Agreement, Arts 53 and 54 and Annex XIII and Protocol 21, as amended by EEA Joint Committee Decision No 40/2005; Council Regulations No 1/2003, Art. 32(c), and No 411/2004, Arts 1 and 3)
(see paragraphs 84-99)
3.
Competition – EU rules – Territorial scope – Competence of the Commission – Conformity with public international law – Implementation or qualified effects of abusive practices in the EEA – Alternative methods – Criterion of the immediate, substantial and foreseeable effect – Scope in the case of conduct having the object of restricting competition
(Art. 101 TFEU; EEA Agreement, Art. 53)
(see paragraphs 101-103, 122, 124-133, 144-146, 164-166, 175-184)
4.
Action for annulment – Pleas in law – Lack of competence of the institution which adopted the contested measure – Examination by the EU judicature of its own motion – Condition – Compliance with the principle that the parties should be heard
(Art. 263 TFEU)
(see paragraphs 198, 199)
5.
Competition – Fines – Assessment by reference to the individual conduct of the undertaking – Irrelevant that no sanction brought against another economic operator – None – Compliance with the principle of equal treatment having to be reconciled with the principle of legality – Scope of the obligation to state reasons
(Arts 101 and 296 TFEU; EEA Agreement, Art. 53; EC-Switzerland Air Transport Agreement, Art. 8; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 20)
(see paragraphs 227-232, 239)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders the European Commission to bear one third of its own costs;
3.
Orders Martinair Holland NV to bear its own costs and pay two thirds of those incurred by the Commission.
(
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)	OJ C 239, 24.7.2017.