Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 26 September 2013 —
Pioneer Hi-Bred International v Commission

(Case T‑164/10)

Approximation of laws — Deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms — Authorisation procedure for placing on the market — Failure by the Commission to submit a draft decision to the Council — Action for failure to act

1.                     Actions for failure to act — Institution called upon to act — Position taken ending the inaction — Concept — Commission proposing to the Council a decision on measures to be taken pursuant to Article 5(4) of Decision 1999/468 — Proposal constituting a necessary preliminary to the final decision concerning the marketing of genetically modified maize — Included (Art. 265 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Directive 2001/18, Art. 18; Council Decision 1999/468, Art. 5) (see paras 26, 27, 30-32)

2.                     Actions for failure to act — Commission’s obligation to act — Submission by the Commission to the Council without delay of a proposal for a decision concerning measures to be taken pursuant to Article 5(4) of Decision 1999/468 — Failure — No justification — Failure to act (Art. 265 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Directive 2001/18, Art. 18; Council Decision 1999/468, Art. 5(4)) (see paras 37, 42, 47, 52, 53, 58, 71, 80 and op. part)

3.                     Acts of the institutions — Temporal application — Procedural rules — Directly applicable to disputes pending at the time of their entry into force (see para. 73)

Re:

APPLICATION for a declaration under Article 265 TFEU that, by failing to submit to the Council a draft of the measures to be taken in accordance with Article 5(4) of Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission (OJ 1999 L 184, p. 23) and by failing to take all other measures that may, depending on the development of the decision-making procedure, be necessary to ensure the adoption of the decision referred to in Article 18 of Directive 2001/18/EC of 12 March 2001 of the European Parliament and the Council on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms and repealing Council Directive 90/220/EEC (OJ 2001 L 106, p. 1), the Commission has failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 18 of Directive 2001/18.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Declares that the European Commission has failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 18 of Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 March 2001 on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms and repealing Council Directive 90/220/EEC by failing to submit to the Council a proposal relating to the measures to be taken pursuant to Article 5(4) of Council Decision of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission;

2. Orders the Commission to pay the costs.