Judgment of the General Court of 15 July 2015 — AGC Glass Europe and Others v Commission
(Case T-465/12) 1
(Competition — Administrative procedure — European automotive glass market — Publication of a decision finding an infringement of Article 81 EC — Rejection of a request for confidential treatment of information the Commission intends to publish — Obligation to state reasons — Confidentiality — Obligation of professional secrecy — Leniency programme — Legitimate expectations — Equal treatment)
Language of the case: English
Parties
Applicants: AGC Glass Europe (Brussels, Belgium); AGC Automotive Europe SA, (Fleurus, Belgium); AGC France SAS (Boussois, France); AGC Flat Glass Italia Srl (Cuneo, Italy); AGC Glass UK Ltd (Northampton, United Kingdom); AGC Glass Germany GmbH (Wegberg, Germany) (represented by: L. Garzaniti, J. Blockx, P. Niggemann, A. Burckett St Laurent, lawyers, and S. Ryan, Solicitor)
Defendant: European Commission (represented by: M. Kellerbauer, G. Meessen and P. Van Nuffel, acting as Agents)
Re:
Application for annulment of Commission Decision C(2012) 5719 final of 6 August 2012 on the rejection of a request for confidential treatment submitted by AGC Glass Europe SA, AGC Automotive Europe SA, AGC France SAS, AGC Flat Glass Italia Srl, AGC Glass UK Ltd and AGC Glass Germany GmbH, under Article 8 of Decision 2011/695/EU of the President of the European Commission of 13 October 2011 on the function and terms of reference of the hearing officer in certain competition proceedings (Case COMP/39.125 — Car glass).
Operative part of the judgment
The Court:
Dismisses the action;
Orders AGC Glass Europe SA, AGC Automotive Europe SA, AGC France SAS, AGC Flat Glass Italia Srl, AGC Glass UK Ltd and AGC Glass Germany GmbH to pay the costs.
____________1 OJ C 379, 8.12.2012.