Case C-471/18 P: Judgment of the Court (Third Chamber) of 21 January 2021 — Federal Republic of Germany v Esso Raffinage, European Chemicals Agency, French Republic, Kingdom of the Netherlands (Appeal — Registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemicals — Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH) — Articles 5 and 6 — General obligation to register substances — Articles 41 and 42 — Evaluation of registration dossiers and compliance check of information submitted by registrants — Declaration of non-compliance — Actionable measure — Interest in bringing proceedings — Locus standi — Respective competences of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and national authorities — Obligation on ECHA to check the compliance of additional information submitted by registrants at its request — ECHA’s power to take an appropriate decision — Article 1 — Objective of protecting human health and the environment — Articles 13 and 25 — Use of animal testing — Promotion of alternative methods)
Date: 2021-01-21
Institutions: Court of Justice
Subjects: European Chemicals Agency, animal experimentation, chemical product, chemicals legislation, environmental protection, powers of the institutions (EU), public health, right of action








C_2021079EN.01000201.xml










8.3.2021   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 79/2






Judgment of the Court (Third Chamber) of 21 January 2021 — Federal Republic of Germany v Esso Raffinage, European Chemicals Agency, French Republic, Kingdom of the Netherlands
(Case C-471/18 P) (1)

(Appeal - Registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemicals - Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH) - Articles 5 and 6 - General obligation to register substances - Articles 41 and 42 - Evaluation of registration dossiers and compliance check of information submitted by registrants - Declaration of non-compliance - Actionable measure - Interest in bringing proceedings - Locus standi - Respective competences of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and national authorities - Obligation on ECHA to check the compliance of additional information submitted by registrants at its request - ECHA’s power to take an appropriate decision - Article 1 - Objective of protecting human health and the environment - Articles 13 and 25 - Use of animal testing - Promotion of alternative methods)
(2021/C 79/02)
Language of the case: English

Parties


Appellant: Federal Republic of Germany (represented initially by T. Henze and D. Klebs, and subsequently by D. Klebs and J. Möller, acting as Agents)

Other parties to the proceedings: Esso Raffinage (represented initially by H. Estreicher, Rechtsanwalt, and N. Navin-Jones, Solicitor, subsequently by H. Estreicher, Rechtsanwalt, A. Kołtunowska, adwokat, K. Merten-Lentz, avocate, and N. Navin-Jones, Solicitor, and finally by H. Estreicher, Rechtsanwalt, A. Kołtunowska, adwokat, and K. Merten-Lentz, avocate), European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) (represented by: W. Broere, C. Jacquet and M. Heikkilä, acting as Agents), French Republic (represented initially by D. Colas, J. Traband and A.-L. Desjonquères, and subsequently by E. Leclerc, J. Traband, W. Zemamta and A.-L. Desjonquères, acting as Agents), Kingdom of the Netherlands (represented by: K. Bulterman and L. Noort, acting as Agents)

Interveners in support of Esso Raffinage: European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (represented by: T. David, Solicitor), Higher Olefins and Poly Alpha Olefins REACH Consortium, Higher Olefins & Poly Alpha Olefins vzw (represented initially by E. Vermulst, advocaat, and subsequently by P. Kugel, advocaat)

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:






1.


Dismisses the appeal;










2.


Orders the Federal Republic of Germany to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Esso Raffinage and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA);










3.


Orders the French Republic, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments, Higher Olefins and Poly Alpha Olefins REACH Consortium and Higher Olefins & Poly Alpha Olefins vzw to bear their own costs.






(1)  OJ C 399, 5.11.2018.