Judgment of the General Court of 9 June 2021 — Dansk Erhverv v Commission

(Case T-47/19) (1)

(State aid - Sale of canned beverages in border shops in Germany to foreign residents - Exemption from the deposit on condition that the beverages purchased are consumed outside Germany - Complaint - Decision by the Commission not to raise objections - Action for annulment - Locus standi - Admissibility - Conditions for initiating a formal investigation procedure - Error of law - Serious difficulties - Concept of ‘State aid’ - State resources - Non-imposition of a fine)

(2021/C 297/36)

Language of the case: English

Parties

Applicant: Dansk Erhverv (Copenhagen, Denmark) (represented by: T. Mygind and H. Peytz, lawyers)

Defendant: European Commission (represented by: B. Stromsky and T. Maxian Rusche, acting as Agents)

Intervener in support of the applicant: Danmarks Naturfredningsforening (Copenhagen) (represented by: T. Mygind and H. Peytz, lawyers)

Intervener in support of the defendant: Federal Republic of Germany (represented by: J. Möller, R. Kanitz, S. Heimerl and S. Costanzo, acting as Agents), Interessengemeinschaft der Grenzhändler (IGG) (Flensburg, Germany) (represented by: M. Bauer and F. von Hammerstein, lawyers)

Re:

Application under Article 263 TFEU for the annulment of Commission Decision C(2018) 6315 final of 4 October 2018 concerning State Aid SA.44865 (2016/FC) — Germany — Alleged State aid to German beverage border shops.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1.	Annuls Commission Decision C(2018) 6315 final of 4 October 2018 concerning State aid SA.44865 (2016/FC) — Germany — Alleged State aid to German beverage border shops;

2.	Orders the European Commission to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Dansk Erhverv and Danmarks Naturfredningsforening;

3.	Orders the Federal Republic of Germany and Interessengemeinschaft der Grenzhändler (IGG) to bear their own costs.

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(1)  OJ C 103, 18.3.2019.