Judgment of the General Court of 22 September 2021 — DEI v Commission

(Joint Cases T-639/14 RENV, T-352/15 and T-740/17) (1)

(State aid - Tariff for electricity supply - Fixing of the tariff invoiced to Alouminion by decision of an arbitration tribunal - Decision to take no further action on the complaint - Decision finding that there is no aid - Act open to challenge - Interested person status - Interest in bringing proceedings - Locus standi - Admissibility - Imputability to the State - Advantage - Private operator principle - Serious difficulties)

(2021/C 462/38)

Language of the case: Greek

Parties

Applicant: Dimosia Epicheirisi Ilektrismou AE (DEI) (Athens, Greece) (represented by: in Case T-639/14 RENV: E. Bourtzalas, A. Oikonomou, E. Salaka, C. Synodinos, H. Tagaras and D. Waelbroeck; in Case T-352/15: E. Bourtzalas, C. Synodinos, E. Salaka, H. Tagaras and D. Waelbroeck, and in Case T-740/17: E. Bourtzalas, E. Salaka, C. Synodinos, H. Tagaras, D. Waelbroeck, A. Oikonomou and V.-K.-L. Moumoutzi, lawyers)

Defendant: European Commission (represented by: in Case T-639/14 RENV: É. Gippini Fournier and A. Bouchagiar and, in Cases T-352/15 and T-740/17: A. Bouchagiar and P. J. Loewenthal, acting as Agents)

Intervener in support of the defendant: Mytilinaios AE — Omilos Epicheiriseon, formerly Alouminion tis Ellados VEAE (Marousi, Greece) (represented by: N. Korogiannakis, N. Keramidas, E. Chrysafis and D. Diakopoulos, lawyers)

Re:

In Case T-639/14 RENV, application under Article 263 TFEU seeking annulment of the Commission’s letter COMP/E3/ΟΝ/AB/ark *2014/61460 of 12 June 2014 informing DEI of the closure of its complaints, in Case T-352/15, application under Article 263 TFEU seeking annulment of Commission Decision C(2015) 1942 final of 25 March 2015 (Case SA.38101 (2015/NN) (ex 2013/CP) — Greece — Alleged State aid to Alouminion SA in the form of electricity tariffs below cost following an arbitration decision), and, in Case T-740/17, application under Article 263 TFEU seeking annulment of Commission Decision C(2017) 5622 final of 14 August 2017 (Case SA.38101 (2015/NN) (ex 2013/CP) — Greece — Alleged State aid to Alouminion SA in the form of electricity tariffs below cost following an arbitration decision).

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1. In Case T-639/14 RENV, annuls the Commission’s letter COMP/E3/ΟΝ/AB/ark *2014/61460 of 12 June 2014 informing Dimosia Epicheirisi Ilektrismou AE (DEI) of the closure of its complaints;

2. In Case T-352/15, annuls Commission Decision C(2015) 1942 final of 25 March 2015 (Case SA.38101 (2015/NN) (ex 2013/CP) — Greece — Alleged State aid to Alouminion SA in the form of electricity tariffs below cost following an arbitration decision);

3. In Case T-740/17, annuls Commission Decision C(2017) 5622 final of 14 August 2017 (Case SA.38101 (2015/NN) (ex 2013/CP) — Greece — Alleged State aid to Alouminion SA in the form of electricity tariffs below cost following an arbitration decision);

4. Orders the European Commission to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by DEI in Joined Cases T-639/14 RENV, T-352/15 and T-740/17, and also in Case C 228/16 P;

5. Orders Mytilinaios AE — Omilos Epicheiriseon to bear its own costs.

(1) OJ C 395, 10.11.2014.