Judgment of the General Court (Third Chamber) of 13 June 2012 —
Insula v Commission

(Case T‑366/09)

Arbitration clause — Financing contracts for research and development projects — Ecres, El Hierro, Islands 2010, Opet I, Opet II, Opet Ola, Respire, Sustainable Communities and Virtual Campus contracts — Lack of supporting documents and non‑compliance with the contractual requirements in respect of some of the declared expenses — Reimbursement of sums advanced — Partial inadmissibility of the action — Counterclaim by the Commission

1.                     Proceedings — Referral to the General Court under an arbitration clause — Contract providing for Community financial assistance for a research and development project — Claim for repayment of certain costs — Claim for damages — Counterclaim with claim for default interest — Application of national law — Finding of non-compliance with contractual obligations — Commission’s right to repayment of the advance, plus default interest at the rate applied by the European Central Bank (Art. 238 EC; Commission Regulation No 2342/2002, Art. 86(2)) (see paras 81, 105, 203-206, 262)

2.                     Proceedings — Referral to the General Court under an arbitration clause — Contract subject to national law — Application of national provisions on jurisdiction — Exclusion (Art. 238 EC) (see para. 82)

3.                     Proceedings — Subject-matter of the dispute — Alteration once proceedings have been started — Prohibition (Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Arts 44(1) and 48(2)) (see paras 88, 89)

4.                     Proceedings — Introduction of new pleas during the proceedings — Conditions — Amplification of an existing plea and close link with the latter (Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Arts 44(1)(c), and 48(2)) (see para. 224)

5.                     Proceedings — Application initiating proceedings — Formal requirements — Identification of the subject-matter of the dispute — Brief summary of the pleas in law on which the application is based — Action for compensation for damage caused by a Community institution — Application seeking compensation in the abstract with no explanation in that regard — Inadmissible (Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 44(1)(c)) (see paras 229, 241, 247)

Re:

APPLICATION, on the basis of Article 238 EC, for a declaration, first, that a claim of the Commission of EUR 114 996.82 is unfounded and, second, that a claim of the Commission of EUR 253 617.08 is well founded in part, and that the Commission be ordered to pay the applicant damages of EUR 146 261.06, principally, and of EUR 573 273.42, in the alternative.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action brought by the Conseil scientifique international pour le développement des îles (Insula);

2. Orders Insula to pay the European Commission the principal sum of EUR 114 996.82, increased by default interest at the rate of 2.5% per annum, from 16 August 2009 until full payment of that principal sum;

3. Orders Insula to pay the Commission the principal sum of EUR 253 617.08, increased by default interest at the rate of 2.5% per annum, from 8 September 2009 until full payment of that principal sum;

4. Dismisses the remainder of the Commission’s counterclaim;

5. Orders Insula to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the Commission.