Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 6 May 2021 — Bayer CropScience AG, Bayer AG v Association générale des producteurs de maïs et autres céréales cultivées de la sous-famille des panicoïdées (AGPM) and Others

(Case C-499/18 P) (1)

(Appeal - Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 - Articles 4 and 21 - Criteria for approval - Review of approval - Plant protection products - Implementing Regulation (EU) No 485/2013 - Active substances clothianidin and imidacloprid - Seeds treated with plant protection products containing those active substances - Prohibition of non-professional use - Precautionary principle)

(2021/C 278/02)

Language of the case: English

Parties

Appellants: Bayer CropScience AG, Bayer AG (represented by: M. Zdzieborska, Solicitor, A. Robert, avocate, K. Nordlander, advokat, C. Zimmermann, avocat, and P. Harrison, Solicitor)

Other parties to the proceedings: Association générale des producteurs de maïs et autres céréales cultivées de la sous-famille des panicoïdées (AGPM), The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) (represented initially by H. Mercer QC and J. Robb, Barrister, instructed by N. Winter, Solicitor, and subsequently by H. Mercer QC, J. Robb, Barrister, and K. Tandy, advocate), Association européenne pour la protection des cultures (ECPA) (represented initially by D. Abrahams, E. Mullier and I. de Seze, avocats, and subsequently by D. Abrahams and E. Mullier, avocats), Rapool-Ring GmbH Qualitätsraps deutscher Züchter, European Seed Association (ESA) (represented initially by P. de Jong, avocat, K. Claeyé, advocaat, and E. Bertolotto, avocate, and subsequently by P. de Jong, avocat, and K. Claeyé, advocaat), Agricultural Industries Confederation Ltd (represented initially by P. de Jong, avocat, K. Claeyé, advocaat, and E. Bertolotto, avocate, then by J. Gaul and P. de Jong, avocats, and by K. Claeyé, advocaat), European Commission (represented by: B. Eggers, P. Ondrůšek, X. Lewis and I. Naglis, acting as Agents), Union nationale de l’apiculture française (UNAF) (represented by: B. Fau and J.-F. Funke, avocats), Deutscher Berufs- und Erwerbsimkerbund eV, Österreichischer Erwerbsimkerbund (represented by: B. Tschida and A. Willand, Rechtsanwälte), Pesticide Action Network Europe (PAN Europe), Bee Life European Beekeeping Coordination (Bee Life), Buglife — The Invertebrate Conservation Trust, Stichting Greenpeace Council (Greenpeace) (represented by: B. Kloostra, advocaat), Kingdom of Sweden (represented initially by C. Meyer-Seitz, A. Falk, H. Shev, J. Lundberg and E. Karlsson, and subsequently by C. Meyer-Seitz, H. Shev and E. Karlsson, acting as Agents)

Intervener in support of the European Commission: Stichting De Bijenstichting (represented by: L. Smale, advocate)

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1. Declares that the appeal is inadmissible in so far as it was brought on behalf of Bayer AG;

2. Dismisses the appeal, in so far as it was brought by Bayer CropScience AG;

3. Orders Bayer CropScience AG and Bayer AG to bear their own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Commission, the Union nationale de l’apiculture française (UNAF), Deutscher Berufs- und Erwerbsimkerbund eV, Österreichischer Erwerbsimkerbund, Pesticide Action Network Europe (PAN Europe), Bee Life European Beekeeping Coordination (Bee Life), Buglife — The Invertebrate Conservation Trust and Stichting Greenpeace Council (Greenpeace);

4. Orders the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and Agricultural Industries Confederation Ltd, and also Stichting De Bijenstichting to bear their own costs;

5. Orders the Kingdom of Sweden to bear its own costs.

(1) OJ C 381, 22.10.2018.