Order of the General Court of 27 October 2023 – AFG v Commission (Madeira Free Zone)
(Case T-722/22) 1
(State aid – Madeira Free Zone – Aid scheme implemented by Portugal – Decision finding that the scheme does not comply with Decisions C(2007) 3037 final and C(2013) 4043 final, declaring it to be incompatible with the internal market, and ordering the recovery of aid paid under that scheme – Definition of ‘State aid’ – Existing aid within the meaning of Article 1(b)(ii) of Regulation (EU) 2015/1589 – Recovery – Legitimate expectations – Legal certainty – Proportionality – Action manifestly lacking any foundation in law)
Language of the case: Portuguese
Parties
Applicant: AFG, SA (Zona Franca da Madeira) (Funchal, Portugal) (represented by: S. Estima Martins, F. Castro Guedes and L. Seifert Guincho, lawyers)
Defendant: European Commission (represented by: I. Barcew and P. Caro de Sousa, acting as Agents)
Re:
By its action brought under Article 263 TFEU, the applicant seeks annulment of Article 1 and Articles 4 to 6 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. The action is dismissed as manifestly lacking any foundation in law.
2. AFG, SA (Zona Franca da Madeira) is ordered to pay the costs.
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1 OJ C 24, 23.1.2023.