Judgment of the Court (Fifth Chamber) of 13 January 2022 — Federal Republic of Germany v Ville de Paris (France), Ville de Bruxelles (Belgium), Ayuntamiento de Madrid (Spain), European Commission (C-177/19 P), Hungary v Ville de Paris (France), Ville de Bruxelles (Belgium), Ayuntamiento de Madrid (Spain), European Commission (C-178/19 P), European Commission v Ville de Paris (France), Ville de Bruxelles (Belgium), Ayuntamiento de Madrid (Spain) (C-179/19 P)

(Joined Cases C-177/19 P to C-179/19 P) (1)

(Appeal - Action for annulment - Environment - Type approval of motor vehicles - Regulation (EU) 2016/646 - Emissions from light passenger and commercial vehicles (Euro 6) - Setting of the not-to-exceed (NTE) values for emissions of oxides of nitrogen during the real driving emission (RDE) tests - Fourth paragraph of Article 263 TFEU - Admissibility of an action - Infra-State entity with powers in the field of environmental protection to limit the circulation of certain vehicles - Condition that the applicant must be directly concerned)

(2022/C 109/02)

Language of the case: Spanish and French

Parties

(Case C-177/19 P)

Appellant: Federal Republic of Germany (represented by: J. Möller, D. Klebs and S. Eisenberg, acting as Agents)

Other parties to the proceedings: Ville de Paris (France) (represented by: J. Assous, avocat), Ville de Bruxelles (Belgium) (represented by: M. Uyttendaele, C. Derave, N. Mouraux and A. Feyt, avocats, and by S. Kaisergruber, Rechtsanwalt), Ayuntamiento de Madrid (Spain) (represented by: J. Assous, avocat), European Commission (represented by: J.-F. Brakeland and M. Huttunen, acting as Agents)

Interveners in support of the appellant: European Automobile Manufacturers Association (represented by: F. Di Gianni and G. Coppo, avvocati), Romania (represented: initially by E. Gane, O.C. Ichim, L. Liţu and C.R. Canţăr, and subsequently by E. Gane, O. C. Ichim and L. Liţu, acting as Agents), Slovak Republic (represented by: B. Ricziová, acting as Agent)

(Case C-178/19 P)

Appellant: Hungary (represented by: M.Z. Fehér, acting as Agent)

Other parties to the proceedings: Ville de Paris (France) (represented by: J. Assous, avocat), Ville de Bruxelles (Belgium) (represented by: M. Uyttendaele, C. Derave, N. Mouraux and A. Feyt, avocats, and by S. Kaisergruber, Rechtsanwalt), Ayuntamiento de Madrid (Spain) (represented by: J. Assous, avocat), European Commission (represented by: J.F. Brakeland and M. Huttunen, acting as Agents)

Intervener in support of the appellant: European Automobile Manufacturers Association (represented by: F. Di Gianni and G. Coppo, avvocati)

(Case C-179/19 P)

Appellant: European Commission (represented by: J.F. Brakeland, acting as Agent)

Other parties to the proceedings: Ville de Paris (France) (represented by: J. Assous, avocat), Ville de Bruxelles (Belgium) (represented by: M. Uyttendaele, C. Derave, N. Mouraux and A. Feyt, avocats, and by S. Kaisergruber, Rechtsanwalt), Ayuntamiento de Madrid (Spain) (represented by: J. Assous, avocat)

Intervener in support of the appellant: European Automobile Manufacturers Association (represented by: F. Di Gianni and G. Coppo, avvocati)

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1. Sets aside the judgment of the General Court of the European Union of 13 December 2018, Ville de Paris, Ville de Bruxelles and Ayuntamiento de Madrid v Commission (T-339/16, T-352/16 and T-391/16, EU:T:2018:927);

2. Dismisses as inadmissible the actions for annulment in Joined Cases T-339/16, T-352/16 and T-391/16, brought, respectively, by the ville de Paris, the ville de Bruxelles and the ayuntamiento de Madrid;

3. Orders each party to bear its own costs relating to the appeals;

4. Orders the ville de Paris, the ville de Bruxelles and the ayuntamiento de Madrid to pay, in addition to their own costs relating to the proceedings at first instance and the appeals, the costs incurred by the European Commission in relation to proceedings at first instance.

(1) OJ C 155, 6.5.2019.