Joined Cases C-71/09 P, C-73/09 P and C-76/09 P: Judgment of the Court (Third Chamber) of 9 June 2011 — Comitato ‘Venezia vuole vivere’ (C-71/09 P), Hotel Cipriani Srl (C-73/09 P), Società Italiana per il gas SpA (Italgas) (C-76/09 P) v Coopservice — Servizi di fiducia Soc. coop. rl, European Commission, Italian Republic (Appeals — Actions for annulment — Admissibility — Locus standi — Interest in bringing an action — Objection of lis alibi pendens — State aid — Multisectoral aid scheme — Reductions in social security contributions — Decision 2000/394/EC — Compensatory nature — Whether intra-Community trade affected — Impact on competition — Extent of control — Burden of proof — Duty to state reasons — Article 87(2)(b) and (3)(b) to (d) EC — Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 — Articles 14 and 15)
Date: 2011-06-09
Institutions: Court of Justice
Subjects: European Commission, General Court (EU), Italy, appeal, local government








C_2011226EN.01000301.xml










30.7.2011   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 226/3





Judgment of the Court (Third Chamber) of 9 June 2011 — Comitato ‘Venezia vuole vivere’ (C-71/09 P), Hotel Cipriani Srl (C-73/09 P), Società Italiana per il gas SpA (Italgas) (C-76/09 P) v Coopservice — Servizi di fiducia Soc. coop. rl, European Commission, Italian Republic
(Joined Cases C-71/09 P, C-73/09 P and C-76/09 P) (1)

(Appeals - Actions for annulment - Admissibility - Locus standi - Interest in bringing an action - Objection of lis alibi pendens - State aid - Multisectoral aid scheme - Reductions in social security contributions - Decision 2000/394/EC - Compensatory nature - Whether intra-Community trade affected - Impact on competition - Extent of control - Burden of proof - Duty to state reasons - Article 87(2)(b) and (3)(b) to (d) EC - Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 - Articles 14 and 15)
2011/C 226/03
Language of the case: Italian

Parties


Appellants: Comitato «Venezia vuole vivere» (represented by: A. Vianello, avvocato) (C-71/09 P), Hotel Cipriani Srl (represented by: A. Bianchini and F. Busetto, avvocati) (C-73/09 P), Società Italiana per il gas SpA (Italgas) (represented by: M. Merola, M. Pappalardo and T. Ubaldi, avvocati) (C-76/09 P)

Other parties to the proceedings: Coopservice — Servizi di fiducia Soc. coop. rl (represented by: A. Bianchini, avvocato), European Commission (represented by: V. Di Bucci and E. Righini, Agents, assisted by A. Dal Ferro, avvocato), Italian Republic (represented by: I. Bruni, and subsequently by G. Palmieri, Agents, assisted by P. Gentili, avvocato dello Stato)

Re:

Appeal brought against the judgment in Joined Cases T-254/00, T-270/00 and T-277/00 Hotel Cipriani SpA and Others v Commission by which the Court of First Instance (Sixth Chamber, Extended Composition) dismissed the actions for annulment of Commission Decision 2000/394/EC of 25 November 1999 on aid to firms in Venice and Chioggia by way of relief from social security contributions under Laws Nos 30/1997 and 206/1995 (OJ 2000 L 150, p. 50)

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:






1.


Dismisses the appeals of the Comitato ‘Venezia vuole vivere’, Hotel Cipriani Srl and Società Italiana per il gas SpA (Italgas) and the cross-appeal of Coopservice — Servizi di fiducia Soc. coop. rl;










2.


Dismisses the cross-appeal of the European Commission;










3.


Orders the Comitato ‘Venezia vuole vivere’, Hotel Cipriani Srl, Società Italiana per il gas SpA (Italgas) and Coopservice — Servizi di fiducia Soc. coop. rl to pay in equal shares the costs relating to the main appeals and to the cross-appeal of the latter;










4.


Orders the European Commission to pay the costs in relation to its cross-appeal;










5.


Orders the Italian Republic to bear its own costs.






(1)  OJ C 113, 16.5.2009.