Judgment of the General Court of 30 March 2022 – British Airways v Commission

(Case T-341/17) ¹

(Competition – Agreements, decisions and concerted practices – Market for airfreight – Decision finding an infringement of Article 101 TFEU, Article 53 of the EEA Agreement and Article 8 of the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on Air Transport – Coordination of elements of the price of air freight services (fuel surcharge, security surcharge, payment of commission on surcharges) – Exchange of information – Territorial jurisdiction of the Commission – Obligation to state reasons – Article 266 TFEU – State coercion – Single and continuous infringement – Amount of the fine – Value of sales – Duration of participation in the infringement – Mitigating circumstances – Encouragement of anticompetitive conduct by public authorities – Unlimited jurisdiction)

Language of the case: English

Parties

Applicant: British Airways plc (Harmondsworth, United Kingdom) (represented by: J. Turner, R. O’Donoghue QC, and A. Lyle-Smythe, Solicitor)

Defendant: European Commission (represented by: N. Khan and A. Dawes, acting as Agents, and A. Bates, Barrister)

Re:

Application under Article 263 TFEU for annulment of Commission Decision C(2017) 1742 final of 17 March 2017 relating to a proceeding under Article 101 TFEU, Article 53 of the EEA Agreement and Article 8 of the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on Air Transport (Case AT.39258 – Airfreight) in so far as it relates to the applicant and, in the alternative, for cancellation of the fine imposed on the applicant or for a reduction in the amount thereof.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

Annuls Article 1(1)(e), (2)(e) and (3)(e) of Commission Decision C(2017) 1742 final of 17 March 2017 relating to a proceeding under Article 101 TFEU, Article 53 of the EEA Agreement and Article 8 of the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on Air Transport (Case AT.39258 – Airfreight) in so far as it finds that British Airways plc participated in the component of the single and continuous infringement relating to the refusal to pay commission on surcharges;

Annuls Article 1(4)(e) of Decision C(2017) 1742 final;

Sets the amount of the fine imposed on British Airways under Article 3(e) of Decision C(2017) 1742 final at EUR 84 456 000;

Dismisses the action as to the remainder;

Orders the European Commission to bear its own costs and to pay one third of the costs incurred by British Airways;

Orders British Airways to bear two thirds of its own costs.

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¹     OJ C 239, 24.7.2017.