2.12.2006   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 294/15


Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 5 October 2006 — Commission of the European Communities v French Republic

(Case C-232/05) (1)

(Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations - State aid - Aid granted to Scott Paper SA/Kimberly-Clark - Obligation of recovery - Non-execution owing to the application of a national procedure - National procedural autonomy - Limits - ‘National procedure allowing immediate and effective execution’ for the purposes of Article 14(3) of Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 - National procedure providing that actions brought against demands for payment issued by national authorities have suspensory effect)

(2006/C 294/25)

Language of the case: French

Parties

Applicant: Commission of the European Communities (represented by: C. Giolito, Agent)

Defendant: French Republic (represented by: G. de Bergues and S. Ramet, Agents)

Re:

Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations — Failure to execute within the prescribed period Commission Decision 2002/14/EC of 12 July 2000 on the State aid granted by France to Scott Paper SA/Kimberly-Clark (OJ 2002 L 12, p. 1)

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1.

Declares that, by failing to take within the prescribed period all the measures necessary to recover from the beneficiary the aid referred to in Commission Decision 2002/14/EC of 12 July 2000 on the State aid granted by France to Scott Paper SA/Kimberly-Clark, the French Republic has failed to fulfil its obligations under the fourth paragraph of Article 249 EC and Articles 2 and 3 of that decision;

2.

Orders the French Republic to pay the costs.


(1)  OJ C 171, 9.07.2005.