Case C-540/16: Judgment of the Court (Fifth Chamber) of 12 July 2018 (request for a preliminary ruling from the Lietuvos vyriausiasis administracinis teismas — Lithuania) — ‘Spika’ UAB, ‘Senoji Baltija’ AB, ‘Stekutis’ UAB, ‘Prekybos namai Aistra’ UAB v Žuvininkystės tarnyba prie Lietuvos Respublikos žemės ūkio ministerijos (Reference for a preliminary ruling — Common fisheries policy — Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 — Article 16(6) and Article 17 — Allocation of fishing opportunities — National legislation laying down a method based on objective and transparent criteria — Inequalities in the conditions of competition between operators in the sector — Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union — Articles 16 and 20 — Freedom to conduct a business — Equal treatment — Proportionality)
Date: 2018-07-12
Institutions: Court of Justice
Subjects: EU competition policy, catch quota, common fisheries policy, equal treatment, fishing rights, principle of proportionality








C_2018319EN.01000301.xml










10.9.2018   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 319/3






Judgment of the Court (Fifth Chamber) of 12 July 2018 (request for a preliminary ruling from the Lietuvos vyriausiasis administracinis teismas — Lithuania) — ‘Spika’ UAB, ‘Senoji Baltija’ AB, ‘Stekutis’ UAB, ‘Prekybos namai Aistra’ UAB v Žuvininkystės tarnyba prie Lietuvos Respublikos žemės ūkio ministerijos
(Case C-540/16) (1)

((Reference for a preliminary ruling - Common fisheries policy - Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 - Article 16(6) and Article 17 - Allocation of fishing opportunities - National legislation laying down a method based on objective and transparent criteria - Inequalities in the conditions of competition between operators in the sector - Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union - Articles 16 and 20 - Freedom to conduct a business - Equal treatment - Proportionality))
(2018/C 319/03)
Language of the case: Lithuanian

Referring court

Lietuvos vyriausiasis administracinis teismas

Parties to the main proceedings


Appellants:‘Spika’ UAB, ‘Senoji Baltija’ AB, ‘Stekutis’ UAB, ‘Prekybos namai Aistra’ UAB

Respondent: Žuvininkystės tarnyba prie Lietuvos Respublikos žemės ūkio ministerijos

Interveners: Lietuvos Respublikos žemės ūkio ministerija, ‘Sedija’ BUAB, V. Malinausko gamybinė-komercinė firma ‘Stilma’, ‘Starkis’ UAB, ‘Banginis’ UAB, ‘Baltijos šprotai’ UAB, ‘Monistico’ UAB, ‘Ramsun’ UAB, ‘Rikneda’ UAB, ‘Laivitė’ AB, ‘Baltijos jūra’ UAB, ‘Baltlanta’ UAB, ‘Grinvita’ UAB, ‘Strimelė’ UAB, ‘Baltijos žuvys’ BUAB

Operative part of the judgment

Article 16(6) and Article 17 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1954/2003 and (EC) No 1224/2009 and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 2371/2002 and (EC) No 639/2004 and Council Decision 2004/585/EC, and Articles 16 and 20 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, must be interpreted as not precluding legislation of a Member State, such as that at issue in the main proceedings, by which that Member State adopts a method of allocation of fishing opportunities which, while being based on a transparent and objective allocation criterion, may create a difference in treatment between operators having fishing vessels flying that Member State’s flag, provided that that method pursues one or more general interests recognised by the European Union and respects the principle of proportionality.


(1)  OJ C 6, 9.1.2017.