Judgment of the General Court (Fourth Chamber) of 30 June 2015 —
Netherlands and Others v Commission

(Joined Cases T‑186/13, T‑190/13 and T‑193/13)

State aid — Sale of land — Aid granted to Schouten-de Jong Bouwfonds by a public-private partnership set up by the Municipality of Leidschendam-Voorburg — Reduction in the sale price of land and retroactive exemption from payment of the fees payable for its exploitation and quality — Decision declaring the aid incompatible with the common market and ordering its recovery — Concept of aid — Private-investor test — Assessment of all factors relevant to the transaction at issue and its context

1.                     State aid — Concept — Grant of advantages imputable to the State — Public authorities involved in the adoption of the measure (Art. 107(1) TFEU) (see para. 64)

2.                     State aid — Concept — Aid from State resources (Art. 107(1) TFEU) (see paras 65-72)

3.                     State aid — Concept — Assessment according to the criterion of the private investor — Assessment having regard to all relevant factors of the disputed operation and its context — Sale of a plot by a public authority on preferential terms — Criteria for assessment — No advantage for the beneficiary — Exclusion (Art. 107(1) TFEU) (see paras 73-82, 85-88, 97, 102, 104, 107, 108, 111-114, 124-128, 131, 132)

4.                     State aid — Concept — Assessment according to the criterion of the private investor — Complex evaluation of economic matters — Discretion of the Commission — Judicial review — Limits (Art. 107(1) TFEU) (see paras 89, 91, 130)

5.                     State aid — Commission decision — Assessment of legality by reference to the information available at the time of adoption of the decision (Art. 107(1) TFEU) (see para. 90)

Re:

ACTION for annulment of Commission Decision C(2013) 87 of 23 January 2013 on State aid SA.24123 (2012/C) (ex 2011/NN) implemented by the Netherlands — Alleged sale of land below market price by the Municipality of Leidschendam-Voorburg.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls Commission Decision C(2013) 87 of 23 January 2013 on State aid SA.24123 (2012/C) (ex 2011/NN) implemented by the Netherlands — Alleged sale of land below market price by the Municipality of Leidschendam-Voorburg;

2. Orders the European Commission to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Gemeente Leidschendam-Voorburg, Bouwfonds Ontwikkeling BV and Schouten & De Jong Projectontwikkeling BV.