Case C-69/25 P: Judgment of the Court (Eighth Chamber) of 11 June 2026 – Laurent Merlin, Stéphane Pinto, Gaëtan Delsart, Gaëtan Baillet, Jean-Yves Noël, Christophe Lhomel, Jérémy Lhomel, Stéphane Fournier, Alexandre Fournier, Christian Dubois, Franck Nowe, Jean-Pierre Deparis, Frédéric Drogerys, Jean-Marie Baheu, Jonathan Delsart, José Pinto, Mathieu Pinto, Olivier Leprêtre, Josse Martin, Lionel Descharles, Loïc Merlin, Philippe Calone, Sébastien Leprêtre, Philippe Mahieu, Andries Visser, Charles Lines, Paul Lines, Low Impact Fishers of Europe (LIFE) v European Commission (Appeal – Action for failure to act – Article 265 TFEU – Common fisheries policy – Funding for shipowners fishing with beam trawl using electrical pulse current – Complaint – Concept of definition of a position by the European Commission – Clear and definitive nature of the position adopted)
Date: 2026-06-11
Institutions: Court of Justice
Subjects: European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, State aid, aid to undertakings, control of State aid, fishing net, fishing vessel, right to an effective remedy, sea fishing








C_202603973EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2026/3973


3.8.2026






Judgment of the Court (Eighth Chamber) of 11 June 2026 – Laurent Merlin, Stéphane Pinto, Gaëtan Delsart, Gaëtan Baillet, Jean-Yves Noël, Christophe Lhomel, Jérémy Lhomel, Stéphane Fournier, Alexandre Fournier, Christian Dubois, Franck Nowe, Jean-Pierre Deparis, Frédéric Drogerys, Jean-Marie Baheu, Jonathan Delsart, José Pinto, Mathieu Pinto, Olivier Leprêtre, Josse Martin, Lionel Descharles, Loïc Merlin, Philippe Calone, Sébastien Leprêtre, Philippe Mahieu, Andries Visser, Charles Lines, Paul Lines, Low Impact Fishers of Europe (LIFE) v European Commission


(Case C-69/25 P)
                (1)

(Appeal - Action for failure to act - Article 265 TFEU - Common fisheries policy - Funding for shipowners fishing with beam trawl using electrical pulse current - Complaint - Concept of ‘definition of a position’ by the European Commission - Clear and definitive nature of the position adopted)
(C/2026/3973)
Language of the case: French

Parties


Appellants: Laurent Merlin, Stéphane Pinto, Gaëtan Delsart, Gaëtan Baillet, Jean-Yves Noël, Christophe Lhomel, Jérémy Lhomel, Stéphane Fournier, Alexandre Fournier, Christian Dubois, Franck Nowe, Jean-Pierre Deparis, Frédéric Drogerys, Jean-Marie Baheu, Jonathan Delsart, José Pinto, Mathieu Pinto, Olivier Leprêtre, Josse Martin, Lionel Descharles, Loïc Merlin, Philippe Calone, Sébastien Leprêtre, Philippe Mahieu, Andries Visser, Charles Lines, Paul Lines, Low Impact Fishers of Europe (LIFE) (represented by: F. de Bure, F.-C. Laprévote and T. Otmani, avocats)

Other party to the proceedings: European Commission (represented by: M. Abenhaïm, C. Perrin and B. Stromsky, acting as Agents)

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:






1.


Dismisses the appeal;










2.


Orders Mr Laurent Merlin, Mr Stéphane Pinto, Mr Gaëtan Delsart, Mr Gaëtan Baillet, Mr Jean-Yves Noël, Mr Christophe Lhomel, Mr Jérémy Lhomel, Mr Stéphane Fournier, Mr Alexandre Fournier, Mr Christian Dubois, Mr Franck Nowe, Mr Jean-Pierre Deparis, Mr Frédéric Drogerys, Mr Jean-Marie Baheu, Mr Jonathan Delsart, Mr José Pinto, Mr Mathieu Pinto, Mr Olivier Leprêtre, Mr Josse Martin, Mr Lionel Descharles, Mr Loïc Merlin, Mr Philippe Calone, Mr Sébastien Leprêtre, Mr Philippe Mahieu, Mr Andries Visser, Mr Charles Lines, Mr Paul Lines and Low Impact Fishers of Europe (LIFE) to bear their own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Commission.






(1)  OJ C, C/2025/1536.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/3973/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)