26.11.2018   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 427/95


Action brought on 26 September 2018 — Gesamtverband Verkehrsgewerbe Niedersachsen v Commission

(Case T-583/18)

(2018/C 427/125)

Language of the case: German

Parties

Applicant: Gesamtverband Verkehrsgewerbe Niedersachsen e.V. (Hanover, Germany) (represented by: C. Antweiler, lawyer)

Defendant: European Commission

Form of order sought

The applicant claims that the Court should:

annul Commission Decision C(2018) 4385 final of 12 July 2018 concerning the applicant’s aid complaint of 28 September 2016 — SA.46538 (2017/NN).

Pleas in law and main arguments

By the present action, the applicant seeks annulment of Commission Decision C(2018) 4385 final of 12 July 2018 relating to its aid complaint in respect of the provision laid down in Paragraph 7a of the Niedersächsisches Nahverkehrsgesetz (Law of Lower Saxony relating to Local Transport; ‘the NNVG’) (Case SA. 46538 (2017/NN)) (OJ 2018 C 292, p. 2).

The action is based on the following pleas in law:

1.

Failure to notify as an aid scheme (infringement of Article 108(3) TFEU)

By the first plea in law, the applicant submits that the provision laid down in Paragraph 7a of the NNVG concerns a new aid scheme which ought to have been notified to the Commission pursuant to Article 108(3) TFEU.

2.

Failure to notify as a general rule (infringement of Article 3(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1370/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1))

By the second plea in law, the applicant submits that the provision laid down in Paragraph 7a of the NNVG constitutes an autonomous rule on financial compensation for public service obligations which establishes maximum tariffs for pupils, students, apprentices and persons with reduced mobility and which the Land of Lower Saxony intended should be excluded from the scope of Regulation No 1370/2007. Consequently, Paragraph 7a of the NNVG ought to have been notified to the Commission in accordance with the second sentence of Article 3(3) of that regulation.


(1)  Regulation (EC) No 1370/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2007 on public passenger transport services by rail and by road and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) Nos 1191/69 and 1107/70 (OJ 2007 L 315, p. 1).