Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 20 January 2015 — Spain v Commission

(Case T‑109/12)

Cohesion Fund — Reduction of financial assistance — Time-limit for adopting a decision

1.                     Economic, social and territorial cohesion — Structural assistance — EU financing — Suspension or reduction of financial assistance following irregularities — Time-limit for adoption of the Commission’s decision — Point from which time starts to run (European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1303/2013, Art. 145(6); Council Regulations No 1164/94, Annex II, Art. H(2), as amended by Regulations No 1264/1999 and No 1265/1999, and No 1083/2006, Art. 100(5); Commission Regulation No 1386/2002, Art. 18(3)) (see paras 22-27)

2.                     Actions for annulment — Grounds — Infringement of essential procedural requirements — Non-compliance with a time-limit imposed by the EU legislature — To be considered of the Court’s own motion (Art. 263 TFEU; Council Regulation No 1083/2006, Art. 100(5)) (see paras 28, 33-35)

Re:

ACTION for annulment of Commission Decision C(2011) 9992 of 22 December 2011 reducing the assistance from the Cohesion Fund granted to the following projects: ‘Measures to be undertaken to implement the 2nd phase of the master plan for urban solid waste management in the Autonomous Community of Extremadura’ (CCI No 2000.ES.16.C.PE.020); Outfall: ‘Middle basin, Getafe and lower basin of the Arroyo del Culebro (Tagus basin — Wastewater drainage)’ (CCI No 2002.ES.16.C.PE.002); ‘Re-use of treated water for the irrigation of green spaces in Santa Cruz de Tenerife’ (CCI No 2003.ES.16.C.PE.003) and ‘Technical assistance for the study and drafting of the project to supply water to the Mancomunidad de Algodor and to increase that supply’ (CCI No 2002.ES.16.C.PE.040).

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls Commission Decision C(2011) 9992 of 22 December 2011 reducing the assistance from the Cohesion Fund granted to the following projects: ‘Measures to be undertaken to implement the 2nd phase of the master plan for urban solid waste management in the Autonomous Community of Extremadura’ (CCI No 2000.ES.16.C.PE.020); Outfall: ‘Middle basin, Getafe and lower basin of the Arroyo del Culebro (Tagus basin — Wastewater drainage)’ (CCI No 2002.ES.16.C.PE.002); ‘Re-use of treated water for the irrigation of green spaces in Santa Cruz de Tenerife’ (CCI No 2003.ES.16.C.PE.003) and ‘Technical assistance for the study and drafting of the project to supply water to the Mancomunidad de Algodor and to increase that supply’ (CCI No 2002.ES.16.C.PE.040);

2. Orders the European Commission to pay the costs.