Cases T-624/15 RENV, T-694/15 RENV and T-704/15 RENV: Judgment of the General Court of 2 October 2024 – European Food and Others v Commission (State aid – Articles 107 and 108 TFEU – Bilateral investment treaty – Arbitration clause – Romania – Accession to the European Union – Repeal of a tax incentives scheme prior to accession – Arbitral award granting payment of damages after accession – Decision declaring the aid incompatible with the internal market and ordering its recovery – First paragraph of Article 351 TFEU – Obligation to state reasons – Concept of State aid – Advantage – Selective nature – Whether imputable to the State – Whether compatible with the internal market – Aid facilitating the economic development of disadvantaged regions – Recovery – Concept of economic unit – Legitimate expectations – Right to be heard)
Date: 2024-10-02
Institutions: General Court
Subjects: Romania, State aid, accession to the European Union, arbitration clause, bilateral agreement, control of State aid, investment, reimbursement of aid, rights of the defence, tax incentive








C_202406643EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2024/6643


11.11.2024






Judgment of the General Court of 2 October 2024 – European Food and Others v Commission


(Cases T-624/15 RENV, T-694/15 RENV and T-704/15 RENV)
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(State aid - Articles 107 and 108 TFEU - Bilateral investment treaty - Arbitration clause - Romania - Accession to the European Union - Repeal of a tax incentives scheme prior to accession - Arbitral award granting payment of damages after accession - Decision declaring the aid incompatible with the internal market and ordering its recovery - First paragraph of Article 351 TFEU - Obligation to state reasons - Concept of ‘State aid’ - Advantage - Selective nature - Whether imputable to the State - Whether compatible with the internal market - Aid facilitating the economic development of disadvantaged regions - Recovery - Concept of ‘economic unit’ - Legitimate expectations - Right to be heard)
(C/2024/6643)
Language of the case: English

Parties


Applicants in Case T-624/15 RENV: European Food SA (Păntășești, Romania), Starmill SRL (Păntăşeşti), Multipack SRL (Păntăşeşti), Scandic Distilleries SA (Păntăşeşti) (represented by: N. Forwood, Barrister-at-Law, and by G. Forwood and W. De Catelle, lawyers)

Applicant in Case T-694/15 RENV: Ioan Micula (Oradea, Romania) (represented by: N. Forwood, Barrister-at-Law, and by G. Forwood and W. De Catelle, lawyers)

Applicants in Case T-704/15 RENV: Viorel Micula (Oradea), European Drinks SA (Ştei, Romania), Rieni Drinks SA (Rieni, Romania), Transilvania General Import-Export SRL (Oradea), West Leasing SRL, formerly West Leasing International SRL (Păntăşeşti) (represented by: J. Derenne, D. Vallindas, A. Álvarez Vidal, R. Chiriţă, and O. Chiriţă, lawyers)

Defendant: European Commission (represented by: T. Maxian Rusche and P.-J. Loewenthal, acting as Agents)

Interveners in support of the defendant: Federal Republic of Germany (represented by: R. Kanitz, J. Möller and N. Scheffel, acting as Agents), Kingdom of Spain (represented by: M.J. Ruiz Sánchez, acting as Agent), Republic of Latvia (represented by: K. Pommere, acting as Agent), Hungary (represented by: M. Fehér and G. Koós, acting as Agents), Republic of Poland (represented by: D. Lutostańska, B. Majczyna and M. Rzotkiewicz, acting as Agents)

Re:

By their actions based on Article 263 TFEU, the applicants seek the annulment of Commission Decision (EU) 2015/1470 of 30 March 2015 on State aid SA.38517 (2014/C) (ex 2014/NN) implemented by Romania – Arbitral award Micula v Romania of 11 December 2013 (OJ 2015 L 232, p. 43).

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:






1.


Joins Cases T-624/15 RENV, T-694/15 RENV and T-704/15 RENV for the purposes of the judgment;










2.


Dismisses the actions;










3.


Orders European Food SA, Starmill SRL, Multipack SRL, Scandic Distilleries SA, Mr Ioan Micula, Mr Viorel Micula, European Drinks SA, Rieni Drinks SA, Transilvania General Import-Export SRL and West Leasing SRL, formerly West Leasing International SRL, to bear their own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Commission in Cases T-624/15, T-694/15, T-704/15, T-624/15 RENV, T-694/15 RENV, T-704/15 RENV and C-638/19 P;










4.


Declares that the Federal Republic of Germany is to bear its own costs in Cases T-624/15 RENV, T-694/15 RENV, T-704/15 RENV and C-638/19 P;










5.


Declares that the Kingdom of Spain is to bear its own costs in Cases T-624/15, T-694/15, T-704/15, T-624/15 RENV, T-694/15 RENV, T-704/15 RENV and C-638/19 P;










6.


Declares that the Republic of Latvia is to bear its own costs in Cases T-624/15 RENV, T-694/15 RENV, T-704/15 RENV and C-638/19 P;










7.


Declares that Hungary is to bear its own costs in Cases T-624/15, T-694/15, T-704/15, T-624/15 RENV, T-694/15 RENV, T-704/15 RENV and C-638/19 P;










8.


Declares that the Republic of Poland is to bear its own costs in Cases T-624/15 RENV, T-694/15 RENV, T-704/15 RENV and C-638/19 P.






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            OJ C 16, 18.1.2016.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/6643/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)