Judgment of the Court (Grand Chamber) of 3 October 2013 – Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and Others v European Parliament, Council of the European Union, Kingdom of the Netherlands, European Commission
(Case C-583/11 P) 1
(Appeal – Regulation (EC) No 1007/2009 – Trade in seal products – Restrictions on importing and marketing such products – Action for annulment – Admissibility – Right of natural or legal persons to institute proceedings – Fourth paragraph of Article 263 TFEU – Concept of ‘regulatory act’ – Legislative act – Fundamental right to effective judicial protection)
Language of the case: English
Parties
Appellants: Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Nattivak Hunters and Trappers Association, Pangnirtung Hunters’ and Trappers’ Association; Jaypootie Moesesie; Allen Kooneeliusie, Toomasie Newkingnak; David Kuptana; Karliin Aariak; Canadian Seal Marketing Group, Ta Ma Su Seal Products Inc., Fur Institute of Canada (Ottawa); NuTan Furs Inc., GC Rieber Skinn AS, Inuit Circumpolar Council Greenland (ICC-Greenland), Johannes Egede, Kalaallit Nunaanni Aalisartut Piniartullu Kattuffiat (KNAPK) (represented by: J. Bouckaert, H. Viaene and D. Gillet, avocats)
Other parties to the proceedings: European Parliament (represented by: I. Anagnostopoulou, D. Gauci and L. Visaggio, acting as Agents), Council of the European Union (represented by: M. Moore and K. Michoel, acting as Agents), European Commission (represented by: P. Oliver, E. White and K. Mifsud Bonnici, acting as Agents), Kingdom of the Netherlands
Re:
Appeal brought against the order of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 6 September 2011 in Case T-18/10 Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and Others v Parliament and Council whereby the General Court dismissed an action for the annulment of Regulation (EC) No 1007/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 September 2009 on trade in seal products (OJ 2009 L 286, p. 36, ‘the contested regulation’) Concept of ‘regulatory act’ – Requirement that contested regulation be of individual concern
Operative part of the judgment
The Court:
1. Dismisses the appeal;
2. Orders Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Nattivak Hunters and Trappers Association, Pangnirtung Hunters’ and Trappers’ Association, Mr Jaypootie Moesesie, Mr Allen Kooneeliusie, Mr Toomasie Newkingnak, Mr David Kuptana, Ms Karliin Aariak, Canadian Seal Marketing Group, Ta Ma Su Seal Products Inc., Fur Institute of Canada, NuTan Furs Inc., GC Rieber Skinn AS, Inuit Circumpolar Council Greenland (ICC Greenland), Mr Johannes Egede and Kalaallit Nunaanni Aalisartut Piniartullu Kattuffiat (KNAPK) to bear their own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union;
3. Orders the European Commission to bear its own costs.
________________________1 OJ C 58, 25.2.2012.