62020TJ0452_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber, Extended Composition) of 24 May 2023 –Meta Platforms Ireland v Commission
(Case T‑452/20) (
1
)
(Competition – Data market – Administrative procedure – Article 18(3) and Article 24(1)(d) of Regulation (EC) No 1/2003 – Request for information – Virtual data room – Obligation to state reasons – Legal certainty – Rights of the defence – Necessity of the information requested – Misuse of powers – Right to privacy – Proportionality – Principle of good administration – Professional secrecy)
1.
Judicial proceedings – Pleas in the application – Modification in the course of proceedings – Decision amending the contested decision in the course of the proceedings – Modification of initial forms of order sought and pleas in law – Whether permissible – Conditions
(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 86)
(see paragraphs 24 – 31)
2.
Competition – Administrative procedure – Request for information – Obligation to state reasons – Request for internal documents containing certain search terms – Obligation to state specifically the reasons for each search term – None
(Art. 296, second para., TFEU; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 18(3))
(see paragraphs 33-51)
3.
Action for annulment – Natural or legal persons – Interest in bringing proceedings – Interest in making a plea – Plea capable of procuring a benefit for the applicant – None – Inadmissibility
(Art. 263, fourth para., TFEU)
(see paragraphs 57-60)
4.
Competition – Administrative procedure – Request for information – Requirement of a necessary link between the information requested and the infringement investigated – Discretion of the Commission – Request for internal documents containing certain search terms – Manifest error of assessment concerning whether the information requested is necessary – None
(Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 18(1) and (3))
(see paragraphs 66-70, 87-104)
5.
Action for annulment – Judgment annulling a measure – Scope – Partial annulment of an EU legal act – Condition – Severability of the annullable elements from the contested act
(Art. 264 TFEU)
(see paragraphs 73, 74)
6.
Competition – Administrative procedure – Request for information – Requirement of a necessary link between the information requested and the infringement investigated – Discretion of the Commission – Request for internal documents containing certain search terms – Overall assessment of compliance with the principle of necessity – None
(Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 18(1) and (3))
(see paragraphs 75, 76)
7.
Judicial proceedings – Introduction of new pleas during the proceedings – Plea raised for the first time at the reply stage – Inadmissibility – Analogous requirement in respect of new arguments directed against evidence not disputed in the application
(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 84)
(see paragraphs 82-86)
8.
Competition – Administrative procedure – Request for information – Rights of the defence – Request for information adopted in the preliminary stage of the investigation – Irremediable infringement of the rights of defence of the undertaking concerned – None
(Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 18(3))
(see paragraphs 111-122)
9.
Competition – Administrative procedure – Request for information – Invasion of privacy – Whether permissible – Conditions – Limitation provided for by law
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Arts 7 and 52(1); Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 18(3))
(see paragraphs 138-147)
10.
Competition – Administrative procedure – Request for information – Invasion of privacy – Whether permissible – Conditions – Whether objectives of general interest recognised by the European Union are pursued
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Arts 7 and 52(1); Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 18(3))
(see paragraphs 148-151)
11.
Competition – Administrative procedure – Request for information – Invasion of privacy – Whether permissible – Conditions – Observance of the principle of proportionality – Request for information covering certain documents unconnected with the commercial activities of the undertaking covered and capable of containing sensitive person data – Examination of those documents in a virtual data room before they are included in the investigation file – Impediment to the right to privacy which is appropriate, necessary and not excessive
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Arts 7 and 52(1); Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 18(3))
(see paragraphs 153-196)
12.
Competition – Administrative procedure – Professional secrecy – Request for information
(Art. 339 TFEU; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Arts 18 and 28)
(see paragraphs 200-210)
13.
Competition – Administrative procedure – Request for information – Powers of the Commission – Limit – Observance of the principle of proportionality – Infringement – None
(Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 18(3))
(see paragraphs 213-219)
14.
Competition – Administrative procedure – Request for information – Obligation on the Commission to make a careful and impartial examination of all the relevant factors – Infringement of the principle of sound administration – None
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 18(3))
(see paragraphs 222-226)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Commission, including those incurred in the proceedings for interim relief;
3.
Orders the Federal Republic of Germany to bear its own costs.
(
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)	OJ C 287, 31.8.2020.