Judgment of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 6 July 2015 —
France v Commission

(Case T‑516/10)

EAGGF — ‘Guidance’ Section — Reduction of financial aid — Community initiative programme Leader+ — Failure to comply with the time-limit for adoption of a decision — Infringement of an essential procedural requirement

1.                     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) (see para. 26)

2.                     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 (Council Regulation No 1083/2006, Arts 100(5), and 108, second para.) (see paras 27, 28, 31, 32)

Re:

APPLICATION for annulment of Commission Decision C(2010) 5724 final of 23 August 2010 on the application of financial corrections to assistance from the EAGGF, ‘guidance’ section, allocated to the Community initiative programme CCI 2000.FR.060.PC.001 (France — Leader+).

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls Commission Decision C(2010) 5724 final of 23 August 2010 on the application of financial corrections to assistance from the EAGGF, ‘guidance’ section, allocated to the Community initiative programme CCI 2000.FR.060.PC.001 (France — Leader+);

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