Order of the President of the General Court of 21 July 2017 – Argus Security Projects v SEAE

(Case T-131/17 R)

(Interim measures — EEAS — Recovery by offsetting — Application for interim measures — Financial loss — Duty of care — No urgency)

1.      Application for interim measures – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Prima facie case – Urgency – Serious and irreparable damage – Cumulative nature – Order of examination and method of verification – Discretion of the court hearing the application for interim relief – Balancing of all the interests involved

(Arts 256(1) TFEU, 278 TFEU and 279 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 156)

(see paras 21-24)

2.      Application for interim measures – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable damage – Burden of proof – Financial loss – Obligation to provide concrete and precise indications, supported by detailed documentary evidence – Situation which could jeopardise the existence of the applicant company or irremediably alter its position in the market

(Arts 256(1) TFEU, 278 TFEU and 279 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 156)

(see paras 27-31, 34, 35)

3.      Application for interim measures – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Lack of diligence by the applicant taken into account

(Arts 256(1) TFEU, 278 TFEU and 279 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 156)

(see paras 36, 41)

Re:

APPLICATION on the basis of Articles 278 and 279 TFEU seeking the grant of interim measures ordering, first, the suspension of operation of the Commission’s offsetting decisions, acting on behalf of the accounting officer of the EEAS, of the respective amounts of EUR 100 600, EUR 41 522 and EUR 52 600 (decisions communicated on 15 March 2017), EUR 58 924 (decision communicated on 7 April 2017) and EUR 41 422 (decision communicated on 19 April 2017) and, secondly, an injunction against EEAS adopting any further offsetting decision against the applicant pending delivery of a final judgment concerning the dispute related to the performance of the framework contract 2008/14/SEC/RELEX/K8, pending before the Court of First Instance of Brussels (Belgium).

Operative part

1. The application for interim measures is dismissed.

2. The costs are reserved.