Order of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 4 June 2012 —
Azienda Agricola Bracesco v Commission

(Case T‑440/09)

Non‑contractual liability — Agriculture — Bird flu — Exceptional market support measures in the eggs and poultry sector — Non‑inclusion of quails among the poultry types for which compensation is available — Equal treatment and non‑discrimination — No causal link — Action manifestly devoid of any basis in law

1.                     Non-contractual liability — Conditions — Unlawfulness — Damage — Causal link — Cumulative conditions (Art. 288, second para., EC) (see paras 9-11)

2.                     Non-contractual liability — Conditions — Unlawfulness — Regulation No 1010/2006 — Economic support measures — Exclusion of quail producers — Regulation No 2777/75 — Scope — Non-inclusion of quail — Independent extension of the measures to other types of poultry — Not included — Extension of the definition of ‘poultry’ in the light of Directive 2005/94 — Not included — No illegality (Council Regulation No 2777/75; Commission Regulation No 1010/2006; Council Directive 2005/94) (see paras 15, 18, 20, 21, 27)

3.                     Non-contractual liability — Conditions — Causal link — Burden of proof — Break in the causal link by reason of the wrongful conduct of the applicant (Art. 288, second para., EC) (see paras 37-40)

Re:

ACTION for damages seeking compensation for the harm allegedly suffered by the applicant following the adoption of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1010/2006 of 3 July 2006 on certain exceptional market support measures in the eggs and poultry sector in certain Member States (OJ 2006 L 180, p. 3), in so far as that regulation does not provide for such measures in favour of poultry farmers active in the farming and marketing of quails.

Operative part

1. The action is dismissed as being manifestly devoid of any basis in law.

2. Azienda Agricola Bracesco Srl — in liquidazione is ordered to bear its own costs and those incurred by the European Commission.