Judgment of the Court (Fourth Chamber) of 20 January 2022 – Romania v European Commission, Hungary

(Case C-899/19 P) ¹

(Appeal – Law governing the institutions – Citizens’ initiative – Regulation (EU) No 211/2011 – Article 4(2)(b) – Registration of a proposed citizens’ initiative – Condition requiring that that proposed citizens’ initiative does not manifestly fall outside the framework of the European Commission’s powers to submit a proposal for a legal act for the purpose of implementing the Treaties – Decision (EU) 2017/652 – Citizens’ initiative ‘Minority SafePack – one million signatures for diversity in Europe’ – Registration in part – Article 5(2) TEU – Principle of conferral – Article 296 TFEU – Obligation to state reasons – Audi alteram partem rule)

Language of the case: Romanian

Parties

Appellant: Romania (represented by: E. Gane, L. Liţu, M. Chicu and L. E. Baţagoi, acting as Agents)

Other parties to the proceedings: European Commission (represented by: initially by I. Martínez del Peral, H. Stancu and H. Krämer, subsequently by I. Martínez del Peral and H. Stancu, acting as Agents, Hungary (represented by: M. Z. Fehér and K. Szíjjártó, acting as Agents)

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1.    Dismisses the appeal;

2.    Orders Romania to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Commission;

3.    Orders Hungary to bear its own costs.

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¹ OJ C 54, 17.2.2020.