62019CO0818_INF
Order of the Court (Tenth Chamber) of 30 April 2020 – Marvik-Pastrogor and Rodes – 08
(Joined Cases C‑818/19 and C‑878/19)
(Reference for a preliminary ruling – Article 53(2) and Article 99 of the Rules of Procedure of the Court of Justice – Environment – Electricity generated by solar and wind power – Directive 2009/28/EC – Promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources – Article 3(3), first subparagraph, point (a) – Mandatory national overall targets – Articles 16 and 17 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union – Freedom to conduct a business – Right to property – General principles of non-discrimination, legal certainty and the protection of legitimate expectations – Tax on the production of energy from renewable sources – Manifest lack of jurisdiction, in part, of the Court)
1.
Environment – Promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources – Directive 2009/28 – Mandatory targets for the share of energy produced from renewable sources – Measures adopted to attain those targets – Member States’ discretion – National legislation imposing a tax on the production of energy from renewable sources – Whether permissible
(European Parliament and Council Directive 2009/28, Art. 3(3), first subpara. (a))
(see paras 39-50, 59, operative part one)
2.
Questions referred for a preliminary ruling – Jurisdiction of the Court – Limits – Request for an interpretation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union – National legislation not constituting a measure implementing EU law and not having any other connection with EU law – Manifest lack of jurisdiction of the Court
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 51(1))
(see paras 51-58, 60, operative part two)
Operative part
1.
Point (a) of the first subparagraph of Article 3(3) of Directive 2009/28/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources and amending and subsequently repealing Directives 2001/77/EC and 2003/30/EC must be interpreted as not precluding national legislation imposing a tax on the production of energy from renewable sources.
2.
The Court of Justice of the European Union manifestly lacks jurisdiction to answer the questions asked by the Varhoven kasatsionen sad (Supreme Court of Cassation, Bulgaria) and by the Sofiyski Rayonen sad (District Court, Sofia, Bulgaria), in so far as they concern the interpretation of Articles 16 and 17 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the principles of non-discrimination, legal certainty and the protection of legitimate expectations.