Order of the General Court of 27 October 2023 – Eutelsat Madeira and Others v Commission (Madeira Free Trade Zone)
(Cases T-718/22 and T-723/22) 1
(State aid – Madeira Free Trade Zone – Aid scheme implemented by Portugal – Decision finding the scheme contrary to Decisions C(2007) 3037 final and C(2013) 4043 final, declaring that scheme incompatible with the internal market and ordering the recovery of the aid paid pursuant thereto – Obligation to state reasons – Concept of ‘existing aid’ within the meaning of Article 1(b)(ii) of Regulation (EU) 2015/1589 – Recovery – Legitimate expectations – Legal certainty – Principles of non-discrimination and of equal treatment – Actions manifestly lacking any foundation in law)
Language of the case: Portuguese
Parties
Applicant in Case T-718/22: Eutelsat Madeira, Unipessoal, Lda (Zona Franca da Madeira) (Caniçal, Portugal) (represented by: R. Bordalo Junqueiro, J. Lampreia, R. Costa and P. Marques, lawyers)
Applicants in Case T-723/22: Sonasurf Internacional – Shipping, Lda (Zona Franca da Madeira) (Funchal, Portugal), Mastshipping – Shipping, Sociedade Unipessoal, Lda (Zona Franca da Madeira) (Funchal), Latin Quarter – Serviços Marítimos Internacionais, Lda (Zona Franca da Madeira) (Funchal) (represented by: R. Bordalo Junqueiro, R. Costa, P. Marques and S. Fernandes de Almeida, lawyers)
Defendant: European Commission (represented by: I. Barcew and P. Caro de Sousa, Agents)
Re:
By their actions based on Article 263 TFEU, the applicants seek the annulment of Commission Decision (EU) 2022/1414 of 4 December 2020 on aid scheme SA.21259 (2018/C) (ex 2018/NN) implemented by Portugal for Zona Franca da Madeira (ZFM) – Regime III (OJ 2022 L 217, p. 49)
Operative part of the order
1. Cases T-718/22 and T-723/22 are joined for the purposes of the order.
2. The actions are dismissed as manifestly lacking any foundation in law.
3. Eutelsat Madeira, Unipessoal, Lda (Zona Franca da Madeira), Sonasurf Internacional – Shipping, Lda (Zona Franca da Madeira), Mastshipping – Shipping, Sociedade Unipessoal, Lda (Zona Franca da Madeira) and Latin Quarter – Serviços Marítimos Internacionais, Lda (Zona Franca da Madeira) shall pay the costs.
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1 OJ C 24, 23.1.2023.