Order of the General Court (Ninth Chamber) of 26 March 2015 —
Conte and Others v Council

(Case T‑121/10)

Action for annulment — Fisheries — Conservation of fisheries resources — Introduction of a Community system of control, inspection and enforcement — Concept of regulatory act — Concept of legislative act — Not individually affected — Inadmissibility

1.                     Judicial proceedings — Admissibility of actions — Judged by reference to the situation when the application was lodged (Art. 263 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 48(2)) (see paras 23, 24)

2.                     Actions for annulment — Natural or legal persons — Meaning of ‘regulatory act’ in Article 263, fourth paragraph, TFEU — Any act of general scope except for legislative measures — Council regulation establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy — Not included (Art. 263, fourth para., TFEU; Council Regulation No 1224/2009) (see paras 34, 36, 37, 47, 50, 53‑55)

3.                     Fundamental rights — Right to effective judicial protection — Review of legality of EU measures — Procedures — Protection of that right by the EU judicature or by the national courts according to the legal nature of the contested measure — Possibility of using an action for annulment or a reference for a preliminary ruling on validity (Art. 6(1), third para., TEU; Arts 263, fourth para., TFEU, 267 TFEU and 277 TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Arts 47 and 52(7)) (see paras 56-59)

4.                     Actions for annulment — Natural or legal persons — Measures of direct and individual concern to them — Council regulation establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy — Action by fishermen and operators in the fish marketing sector — Not individually affected — Inadmissibility (Art. 263, fourth para., TFEU; Council Regulation No 1224/2009) (see paras 61, 64-69)

Re:

APPLICATION for annulment of Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 of 20 November 2009 establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy, amending Regulations (EC) No 847/96, (EC) No 2371/2002, (EC) No 811/2004, (EC) No 768/2005, (EC) No 2115/2005, (EC) No 2166/2005, (EC) No 388/2006, (EC) No 509/2007, (EC) No 676/2007, (EC) No 1098/2007, (EC) No 1300/2008, (EC) No 1342/2008 and repealing Regulations (EEC) No 2847/93, (EC) No 1627/94 and (EC) No 1966/2006 (OJ 2009 L 343, p. 1) and more particularly, Articles 9, 10, 14(1), (2), (3), (4) and (5), 15, 17(1), 58(1), (2), (3) and (5), 59(2) and (3), 60(4) and (5), 62(1), 63(1), 64, 65, 66(1) and (3), 67(1), 68, 73(8), 92(2) and 103 of that regulation.

Operative part

1. The action is dismissed as inadmissible.

2. Giovanni Conte; Casa del Pescatore Soc. coop. rl, Civitanova Marche; Guidotti Giovanni & Figli Snc; Organizzazione di produttori della pesca di Civitanova Marche Soc. coop. rl and Consorzio gestione mercato ittico Manfredonia Soc. coop. rl (Cogemim) are ordered to bear their own costs and pay the costs incurred by the Council of the European Union.

3. The European Commission is ordered to bear its own costs.