Order of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 4 December 2014 —
Talanton v Commission

(Case T‑165/13)

Arbitration clause — Pocemon and Perform contracts concluded as part of the Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration (2007-2013) — Eligible costs — Repayment of sums paid — Audit report — No interest in bringing proceedings — Interest in seeking a declaration — Inadmissibility

1.                     Judicial proceedings — Application initiating proceedings — Formal requirements — Brief summary of the pleas in law on which the application is based — Action for compensation for damage caused by an EU institution — Plea not accompanied by any explanation enabling its merit to be assessed — Inadmissibility (Art. 340, second para., TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 44(1)(c) and (d)) (see para. 32)

2.                     Judicial proceedings — Absolute bar to proceeding — To be considered of the Court’s own motion — Requirement that an interest in bringing proceedings subsist until the delivery of the court decision — No infringement of the right to effective legal protection and the principle of effectiveness (Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Arts 113 and 114(3) and (4)) (see paras 34, 35, 69, 71, 75)

3.                     Judicial proceedings — Referral to the General Court under an arbitration clause — Contracts concluded under a specific research, technological development and demonstration programme — Refusal by the Commission to consider as eligible costs certain sums advanced by the beneficiary by way of implementation of the contracts — Request for repayment of advances — Action by the beneficiary against the Commission letter announcing its intention to issue a debit note — No definitive declaration of the debt — No legal interest in bringing proceedings — Application inadmissible (Art. 272 TFEU; Council Regulation No 1605/2002; European Parliament and Council Decision No 1982/2006) (see paras 36, 37, 40, 41, 53)

4.                     EU budget — EU financial assistance — Obligation of the beneficiary to comply with the conditions for grant of the aid — Justification of costs incurred — Proceedings by the Commission for recovery of advances paid — Burden of proof (Art. 272 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Decision No 1982/2006) (see para. 72)

Re:

ACTION based on Article 272 TFEU and the first paragraph of Article 340 TFEU seeking a declaration by the Court, first, that the refusal by the Commission to allow as eligible costs certain sums paid to the applicant by way of the implementation of the Perform and Pocemon grant agreements constitutes a breach by the Commission of its contractual obligations, and, secondly, that there is no need to refund part of those sums, or the amount of the liquidate allowance specified by the Commission.

Operative part

1. The action is dismissed as inadmissible.

2. Talanton AE — Symvouleftiki-Ekpaideftiki Etaireia Dianomon, Parochis Ypiresion Marketing kai Dioikisis Epicheiriseon is ordered to pay the costs, including those incurred in the proceedings for interim measures.