62019TJ0611_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 9 June 2021 – Iniciativa ‘Derecho de la UE, derechos de las minorías y democratización de las instituciones españolas’ v Commission
(Case T‑611/19)
(Institutional law – European citizens’ initiative – ‘EU law, minority rights and democratisation of Spanish institutions’ – New EU framework to strengthen the rule of law – Refusal of registration – Manifest lack of powers of the Commission – No invitation to submit a proposal for a legal act of the Union – Article 4(2) and Article 2(1) of Regulation (EU) No 211/2011 – Obligation to state reasons – Article 296 TFEU)
1.
Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope – Commission decision refusing to register a proposal for a European citizens’ initiative – Commission pleading manifest lack of legislative attributions in relation to the measures proposed – No invitation to submit a proposal for a legal act of the Union – No infringement of the obligation to state reasons
(Art. 296 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 211/2011, Arts 2(1) and 4(2)(b) and (3), second para.)
(see paras 22-32)
2.
Citizenship of the Union – Rights of the citizen – Presentation of a citizens’ initiative – Regulation No 211/2011 – Scope – Proposal for a legal act of the Union – Concept – Need for a proposal to the Council or to the Parliament and the Council
(Arts 11(4), first para. and 17(2) TEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 211/2011, Arts 2(1) and 4(2)(b) and (3), first para.)
(see para. 57)
3.
Citizenship of the Union – Rights of the citizen – Presentation of a citizens’ initiative – Regulation No 211/2011 – Scope – Proposal for a legal act of the Union – Concept – Invitation to the Commission to adopt one or more autonomous acts itself – Precluded
(Arts 225 and 241 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 211/2011, Recital 1 and Arts 2(1) and 4(2)(b))
(see paras 58, 59)
4.
Citizenship of the Union – Rights of the citizen – Presentation of a citizens’ initiative – Regulation No 211/2011 – Conditions for registration – Proposal to be within the Commission’s competence – Examination by the Commission – Limits
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 211/2011, Arts 2(1) and 4(2)(b))
(see paras 61-66)
5.
Citizenship of the Union – Rights of the citizen – Presentation of a citizens’ initiative – Regulation No 211/2011 – Manifest lack of powers of the Commission – Invitation to the Commission to implement the stages of the framework to strengthen the rule of law
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 211/2011, Arts 2(1) and 4(2)(b))
(see paras 67-76)
6.
Citizenship of the Union – Rights of the citizen – Presentation of a citizens’ initiative – Regulation No 211/2011 – Scope – Legal acts of the Union – Invitation to the Commission to implement the stages of the framework to strengthen the rule of law – Scope – No invitation to the Commission to use the mechanisms of Article 7 TEU
(Art. 7 TEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 211/2011, Arts 2(1) and 4(2)(b))
(see paras 77-80)
7.
Citizenship of the Union – Rights of the citizen – Presentation of a citizens’ initiative – Regulation No 211/2011 – Scope – Legal acts of the Union – No invitation to the Commission to use the mechanisms provided for in Article 7 TEU
(Art. 7 TEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 211/2011, Arts 2(1) and 4(2)(b))
(see paras 81-83)
Re:
Application under Article 263 TFEU seeking annulment of Commission Decision (EU) 2019/1182 of 3 July 2019 on the proposed citizens’ initiative entitled ‘EU law, minority rights and democratisation of Spanish institutions’ (OJ 2019 L 185, p. 46).
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders the citizens’ committee of the initiative ‘Derecho de la UE, derechos de las minorías y democratización de las instituciones españolas’ to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Commission;
3.
Orders the Kingdom of Spain to bear its own costs.