Judgment of the Court of First Instance (Eighth Chamber) of 22 April 2009 – CESD‑Communautaire v Commission

(Case T-286/05)

Public procurement – Declaration of a serious breach of contract – Article 93(1)(f) of Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 – Action for annulment – Error of law – Jurisdiction of the Court of First Instance – Legal interest in bringing proceedings – Admissibility – Misuse of powers – Manifest error of assessment – Statement of reasons – Rights of the defence

1.                     Actions for annulment – Natural or legal persons – Interest in bringing proceedings (Art. 230, fourth para., EC) (see paras 66-73)

2.                     Actions for annulment – Pleas in law – Misuse of powers – Definition (Art. 230 EC) (see para. 84)

3.                     Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope –Plea alleging lack of or insufficient statement of reasons –Plea alleging inaccurate statement of reasons– Distinction (Art. 253 EC) (see paras 110-111)

Re:

APPLICATION for annulment of the Commission’s letter of 18 May 2005 by which it informed the applicant that it had taken the decision to declare, as regards various contracts referred to, that there had been a serious breach of contract under Article 93(1)(f) of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (OJ 2002 L 248, p. 1).

Operative part

The Court:

1.         Dismisses the action;

2.         Orders Centre européen pour la statistique et le développement ASBL (CESD-Communautaire) to pay the costs.