Order of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 6 May 2014 —
Unión de Almacenistas de Hierros de España v Commission

(Case T‑419/13)

Access to documents — Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 — Documents relating to two Spanish competition proceedings — Implied refusal of access — Explicit decision adopted after the action was brought — No need to adjudicate

1.                     Actions for annulment — Actionable measures — Concept — Measures producing binding legal effects — Silence or inaction of an institution — Not included — Limits — Failure to reply to a confirmatory application within the prescribed time limit (Art. 263 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 8(2) and (3)) (see paras 21, 24)

2.                     Actions for annulment — Natural or legal persons — Interest in bringing proceedings — Action brought against an implied decision on the part of the Commission to refuse access to documents — Decision replaced during the proceedings with an express decision — No further interest in bringing an action (Art. 263 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 8(3)) (see paras 28, 29, 32)

Re:

APPLICATION for annulment of the Commission’s implicit decision refusing to grant the applicant access to certain documents relating to correspondence exchanged between the Commission and the Comisión Nacional de la Competencia (CNC, Spanish national competition authority) with regard to two national proceedings initiated by the CNC.

Operative part

1. There is no longer any need to adjudicate on the action.

2. There is no longer any need to adjudicate on the applications to intervene.

3. The European Commission is ordered to bear its own costs and those of Unión de Almacenistas of Hierros de España.

4. The Federal Republic of Germany and the Kingdom of Spain are ordered to bear their own costs.