62021TJ0332_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Tenth Chamber) of 18 October 2023 –Wizz Air Hungary v Commission (TAROM; COVID-19)
(Case T‑332/21) (
1
)
(State aid – Romanian air transport market – Aid granted by Romania to TAROM in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic – State guarantee on loans – Decision not to raise any objections – Action for annulment – Locus standi – Substantial adverse effect on the applicant’s position on the market in question – Admissibility – Aid intended to make good the damage caused by an exceptional occurrence – Assessment of the damage – Causal link – Beneficiary’s pre-existing difficulties – Principle of non-discrimination – Freedom to provide services – Freedom of establishment – Obligation to state reasons)
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 parties concerned within the meaning of Article 108(2) TFEU – Action designed to safeguard the procedural rights of the parties concerned – Admissibility
(Arts 108(2) and 263, fourth para., TFEU; Council Regulation No 2015/1589, Art. 1(h))
(see paragraphs 10-13)
2.
Action for annulment – Natural or legal persons – Measures of direct and individual concern to them – Individual concern – Criteria – Commission decision finding an aid compatible with the internal market – Action of a rival undertaking claiming that its market position significantly affected – Admissibility – Obligation for the rival undertaking to provide a precise definition of the market at issue and to compare the situation of all the competitors present on that market in order to differentiate itself in relation to them – None – Demonstration of a substantial adverse effect on the applicant’s competitive position on the market in question
(Arts 108(2) and (3) and 263, fourth para., TFEU)
(see paragraphs 14-33)
3.
Action for annulment – Natural or legal persons – Measures of direct and individual concern to them – Direct concern – Criteria – Commission decision finding an aid compatible with the internal market – Action brought by an undertaking which is a competitor of the undertaking in receipt of aid – Competitor undertaking establishing that it is directly concerned
(Art. 263, fourth para., TFEU)
(see paragraph 34)
4.
Aid granted by a Member State – Prohibition – Exceptions – Aid compatible with the internal market – Aid to make good the damage caused by natural disasters or exceptional occurrences – State guarantee to an airline to compensate it in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic – Assessment in the light of Article 107(2)(b) TFEU – Criteria – Proportionality of the aid – Assessment of the damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to the undertaking in receipt of the aid
(Art. 107(2)(b) TFEU)
(see paragraphs 47-62, 65-87, 89-93, 95-100, 103-116, 119-123, 127-135, 138-141)
5.
Aid granted by a Member State – Prohibition – Exceptions – Aid compatible with the internal market – Aid to make good the damage caused by natural disasters or exceptional occurrences – State guarantee to an airline to compensate it in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic – Assessment in the light of Article 107(2)(b) TFEU – Assessment of compatibility with the principle of non-discrimination – Criteria – Objective of the aid – Need for the aid – Proportionality of the aid
(Art. 107(2)(b) TFEU)
(see paragraphs 144-165)
6.
Freedom to provide services – Provisions of the Treaty – Scope – Services in the transport sector for the purposes of Article 58(1) TFEU – Air transport services – Specific legal regime
(Arts 56, 58(1) and 100(2) TFEU)
(see paragraphs 166-168)
7.
Aid granted by a Member State – Prohibition – Exceptions – Aid compatible with the internal market – Aid to make good the damage caused by natural disasters or exceptional occurrences – State guarantee to an airline to compensate it in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic – Aid compatible with the internal market pursuant to Article 107(2)(b) TFEU – Infringement of the freedom to provide services and the freedom of establishment – None
(Arts 58(1), 100(2) and 107(2)(b) TFEU)
(see paragraphs 169-171)
8.
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 parties concerned within the meaning of Article 108(2) TFEU – Identification of the subject matter of the action – Action designed to safeguard the procedural rights of the parties concerned – Pleas that may be put forward – Lack of independent content of such a plea in the present case
(Arts 108(2) and 263, fourth para., TFEU)
(see paragraphs 173-175)
9.
Aid granted by a Member State – Commission decision not to raise objections to an aid scheme – Obligation to state reasons – Scope – Account taken of the context and all the legal rules governing the matter
(Arts 107(2)(b) and 296 TFEU)
(see paragraphs 177-187)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Wizz Air Hungary Légiközlekedési Zrt. (Wizz Air Hungary Zrt.) to pay the costs.
(
1
)	OJ C 310, 2.8.2021.