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Competition Policy

Amicus curiae observations - State aid

Legal base

Article 29, paragraph 2, of Council Regulation (EU)2015/1589 (the 'Procedural Regulation') establishes that:

Where the coherent application of Article 107(1) or Article 108 TFEU so requires, the Commission, acting on its own initiative, may submit written observations to the courts of the Member States that are responsible for applying the State aid rules. It may, with the permission of the court in question, also make oral observations.

The Commission shall inform the Member State concerned of its intention to submit observations before formally doing so.

For the exclusive purpose of preparing its observations, the Commission may request the relevant court of the Member State to transmit documents at the disposal of the court, necessary for the Commission's assessment of the matter.'

 

2023

Case | Spain v. RWE Renewables and others

National Court | Oberlandsgericht Hamm

Commission amicus curiae observation | 27/04/2023 de

National Court judgment | 02/05/2023

Summary & background | Enforcement of ICSID award - injonction against RWE not to pursue efforts to seek an anti suit injunction before courts of third countries to protect enforcement of the ICSID award in a third country – Prohibition to circumvent Article 108(3) TFEU

 

2021

Case | Micula

National Court | Cour de Cassation - Luxembourg

Commission amicus curiae observation | 4/8/2021 fr

National Court judgment | 14/07/2022, fr

Summary & background | Challenge to the enforcement of ICSID Award - Conflict between EU Law and a Bilateral Investment Treaty - Conflict between EU State aid rules and content of ICSID Award – EU Law supremacy and direct effect – New and incompatible State aid – Powers and obligations of National Courts - exequatur

 

2020

Case | T4658

National Court | Svea Hovrätt

Commission amicus curiae observation | 30/07/2020 sv

National Court judgment | 13/12/2022 sv

Summary & background | Judgement in case Novenergia II
 

Case | T1626-19

National Court | Svea Hovrätt

Commission amicus curiae observation | 17/12/2020 sv

National Court judgment |

Summary & background | Observations in the case  Foresight Luxembourg Solar 1 before the Swedish Court

 

2019

Case | Micula 1657-19

National Court | Svea Hovrätt

Commission amicus curiae observation | 25/10/2019, sv

National Court judgment | 20/05/2021, sv

Summary & background | Enforcement of the arbitral award of compensation in Sweden would lead to grant State aid to Micula, which has been forbidden by Commission decision of 30/03/2015 - order closing the case without judgment

 

2018

Case | Polish highways - shadow toll compensation

National Court | Sąd Apelacyjny w Warszawie

Commission amicus curiae observation | 16/11/2018, pl

National Court judgment | 5/6/2020

Summary & background |
 

Case | Micula e.a. v. Romatsa e.a. (2016/AR/393-394)

National Court | Cour d’Appel de Bruxelles

Commission amicus curiae observation |

  • 31/08/2018, fr
  • 17/12/2018, fr
  • 30/05/2022, fr

National Court judgment |

  • 12/03/2019, fr
  • 27/09/2022, fr

Summary & background | Enforcement of the arbitral award of compensation in Belgium by the enforcement jurisdictions would lead to grant State aid to Micula, which has been forbidden by Commission decision of 30/3/2015.

 

2017

Case | Magic Mountain Kletterhallen

National Court | Oberverwaltungsgericht Berlin

Commission amicus curiae observation | 05/12/2017 de

National Court judgment | 18/12/2017 de

Summary & background | Commission Decision is final after preliminary investigation, when not challenged by beneficiary, and hence cannot be put into question by national court.


Case | Micula

National Court | Nacka District Court, Sweden

Commission amicus curiae observation | 26/10/2017, sv

National Court judgment | 23/01/2019, sv

Summary & background | Enforcement of the arbitral award of compensation in Sweden would force Romania to grant State aid to Micula, which has been forbidden by Commission decision of 30/3/2015.

 

2016

Case | Eesti Pagar (Metaprint 3-15-241)

National Court | Tallinn District Court

Commission amicus curiae observation | 30.12.2016

National Court judgment |

  • Supreme Court of Estonia, 19.12.2019, EN - EE
  • Tallinn District Court 30.6.2020, EN - EE

Summary & background | Final judgment in the Metaprint case (linked to Eesti Pagar) issued on 19.12.2019 and taking into account the Commission’s amicus curiae observations submitted on 30.12.2016 before the Tallinn District Court.
Case was sent back to the Tallinn District Court, who issued a judgment on 30.6.2020
 

Case | Hellenic shipyards

National Court | Administrative Court of Athens

Commission amicus curiae observation |

  • 04/06/2016, el , (*1)
  • 04/06/2016, el , (*2)
  • 04/06/2016, el , (*3)
  • 16/09/2019, el , (*3)
  • 04/06/2016, el , (*4)
  • 16/09/2019, el , (*4)

National Court judgment |

  • Judgment, el , (*1)
  • Judgment, el , (*2)
  • Judgment, el , (*3)
  • Judgment, el , (*4)

Summary & background |

  • (*1) Observation on the application for suspension of the recovery order.
  • (*2) Observation on the suspension of the tax authorities' acts confirming the recovery amount as debt of the company and requesting the payment of this debt.
  • (*3) Observation on the application to set aside tax authorities' acts confirming the recovery amount as debt of the company and requesting the payment of this debt (main case). Memorandum under Article 138 of Legal Administrative Code regarding the request to suspend the act of the tax authorities asking the payment of the recovery amount.
  • (*4) Observation on the main case against the recovery order (main case). Memorandum under Article 138 of Legal Administrative Code regarding the appeal against the recovery order (main case).


Case | AS Reverta

National Court | Latvia Supreme Court

Commission amicus curiae observation | 22.12.2016 en (*1), lv (*2)

National Court judgment | Supreme Administrative Court of the Republic of Latvia, judgment of 27.6.2018, lv (*3)

Summary & background | Final judgment in the AS Reverta case

 

2015

Case | French airport cases

National Court | Cour administrative d'appel de Bordeaux

Commission amicus curiae observation | 25/11/2015, fr

National Court judgment | Judgment fr

Summary & background | Référé provision - Obligation for national judge to set aside FR law which impedes effective recovery (automatic suspensive effect of the law)

 

2014

Case | SNCM

National Court | Cour administrative d'appel de Marseille

Commission amicus curiae observation | 05/08/2014, fr

National Court judgment | Judgment, fr

Summary & background | Obligations for national authorities from a COM decision. Definition of a SGEI. Tender procedure for selection to SGEI provider


Case | Micula

National Court | Secţiei a Ill-а Civilă a Tribunalului Bucureşti

Commission amicus curiae observation | 26/05/2014 ro

National Court judgment | Case is pending

Summary & background | Challenge to the enforcement of ICSID Award - Conflict between EU Law and a Bilateral Investment Treaty - Conflict between EU State aid rules and content of ICSID Award – EU Law supremacy and direct effect – New and incompatible State aid – Powers and obligations of National Courts
 

Case | Micula

National Court | Tribunalul Bucureşti

Commission amicus curiae observation | 07/05/2014 ro

National Court judgment | Judgment ro

Summary & background | Recognition and Enforcement of ICSID Award - Conflict between EU Law and a Bilateral Investment Treaty - Conflict between EU State aid rules and content of ICSID Award – EU Law supremacy and direct effect – New and incompatible State aid – Powers and obligations of National Courts