European Court of Justice (News)

Consorzio Italian Management e Catania Multiservizi and Catania Multiservizi
Law governing the institutions
The Court clarifies its case-law in Cilfit concerning the situations in which national courts or tribunals of last instance are not subject to the obligation to make a reference for a preliminary ruling

LU
Area of Freedom, Security and Justice
L’application du principe de reconnaissance mutuelle aux sanctions pécuniaires s’oppose à ce que l’autorité d’exécution remette en cause la qualification juridique donnée par l’autorité d’émission à l’agissement sanctionné

W. Ż. () and des affaires publiques de la Cour suprême - nomination)
Principles of Community law
Transfers without consent of a judge from one court to another or between two divisions of the same court are liable to undermine the principles of the irremovability of judges and judicial independence

The Treaties do not prohibit the Council from waiting, before adopting the decision concluding the Istanbul Convention on behalf of the European Union, for the ‘common accord’ of the Member States, but the Council cannot alter the procedure for concluding that convention by making that conclusion contingent on the prior establishment of such a ‘common accord’

Court of Auditors v Pinxten
Law governing the institutions
La Cour juge qu’un ancien membre de la Cour des comptes européenne a enfreint les obligations découlant de sa charge auprès de cette institution. Il est déchu de deux tiers de son droit à pension

TGSS (Chômage des employés de maison)
SOPO
Domestic workers in Spain: according to Advocate General Szpunar, legislation which excludes them from unemployment benefits, where those workers are almost exclusively women, is contrary to EU law

Commissaire général aux réfugiés and aux apatrides
Area of Freedom, Security and Justice
According to Advocate General Pikamäe, EU law precludes a Member State from declaring an application for international protection automatically inadmissible when the applicant already has refugee status granted in another Member State

Front Polisario v Council
External relations
The General Court annuls the Council decisions concerning, first, the agreement between the European Union and Morocco amending the tariff preferences granted by the European Union to products of Moroccan origin and, second, the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement

NEC Corporation v Commission,Nichicon Corporation/Commission,Tokin/Commission,Rubycon et Rubycon Holdings/Commission, Nippon Chemi-Con Corporation/Commission
Competition
The General Court maintains the fines imposed by the Commission on several undertakings by reason of their participation in a cartel on the market for aluminium electrolytic capacitors and tantalum electrolytic capacitors

Kočner v EUROPOL
Principles of Community law
The General Court dismisses the action brought by M. Kočner against Europol in the context of the investigation into the murder of the journalist J. Kuciak and his fiancée M. Kušnírová

Entry into office of a new member of the General Court of the European Union

GSMB Invest,Volkswagen, Porsche Inter Auto et Volkswagen
Approximation of laws
According to Advocate General Rantos, the installation of software that alters the level of pollutant gas emissions of vehicles based on the outside temperature and the altitude is contrary to EU law, and such a vehicle is not in conformity with the contract of sale within the meaning of Directive 1999/44

DEI v Commission
State aid
The General Court annuls the decisions by which the Commission found that an arbitration award setting an allegedly preferential tariff for electricity did not involve the granting of an advantage to the aluminium producer Mytilinaios

Altice Europe v Commission
Competition
The General Court dismisses Altice Europe’s action against the Commission decision imposing two fines totalling €124.5 million in connection with the acquisition of PT Portugal

Czech Republic v Poland
Environment and consumers
Poland is ordered to pay the European Commission a daily penalty payment of €500 000 because it has not ceased lignite extraction activities at Turów mine

Commission v Belgium and Magnetrol International
State aid
Tax exemptions granted by Belgium to multinational companies by way of rulings: the Commission correctly found that there was an aid scheme

Commission v Italy
Taxation
Italy has infringed EU law by exempting from excise duty fuels used for private pleasure craft, chartered and used by end users for non-commercial activities

CAPA and Others v Commission
State aid
Parcs éoliens en mer subventionnés par des aides au fonctionnement : le Tribunal rejette le recours introduit par une coopérative et des patrons pêcheurs contre la décision de la Commission de ne pas soulever d’objections

Bundesamt für Fremdenwesen und Asyl (Demande ultérieure de protection internationale )
Area of Freedom, Security and Justice
EU law precludes a subsequent application for international protection from being rejected as inadmissible on the sole ground that it is based on circumstances which already existed during the procedure relating to the first application

Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne
Agriculture and fisheries
The Court specifies the conditions for the protection of products covered by a protected designation of origin as laid down by the regulation establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products