Judgment of the Court (Sixth Chamber) of 28 June 2012 —
Commission v Greece

(Case C-485/10)

Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations — State aid — Aid granted to Ellinika Nafpigeia AE — Incompatibility with the common market — Recovery — Non-execution

1.                     State aid — Recovery of unlawful aid — Obligation — Duty to implement the Commission Decision immediately and effectively (Arts 108(2) TFEU and 288 TFEU; Council Regulation No 659/1999, Art. 14(3)) (see paras 27, 36)

2.                     State aid — Recovery of unlawful aid — Application of national law — Conditions — Implementation of a procedure enabling the immediate and effective execution of the Commission decision (Arts 108(2) TFEU and 288 TFEU; Council Regulation No 659/1999, Art. 14(3)) (see paras 28, 29)

3.                     Actions for failure to fulfil obligations — Non-compliance with a Commission decision concerning State aid — Duty to recover the aid granted — Reference period — Period fixed by the unimplemented decision or, subsequently, by the Commission (Arts 108(2)(2) TFEU and 288 TFEU) (see paras 30, 31)

Re:

Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations — Failure to have taken, within the period prescribed, the measures necessary to comply with Commission Decision 2009/610/EC of 2 July 2008 on aid C 16/04 (ex NN 29/04, CP 71/02 and CP 133/05) granted by Greece to Hellenic Shipyards SA (notified under number C(2008) 3118) (OJ 2008 L 225, p. 104).

Operative part

The Court:

1. Declares that, by failing to take, within the period prescribed, all the measures necessary in order to implement Commission Decision 2009/610/EC of 2 July 2008 on aid C 16/04 (ex NN 29/04, CP 71/02 and CP 133/05) granted by Greece to Hellenic Shipyards SA, and by failing to provide the information listed in Article 19 of that decision to the European Commission, the Hellenic Republic failed to fulfil its obligations under Articles 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 11 to 19 of that decision;

2. Orders the Hellenic Republic to pay the costs.