Order of the President of the General Court of 3 November 2021 –
PBL and WA v Commission

(Case T‑538/21 R)

(Interim relief – State aid – Aid granted by France to a professional football club – Application for interim measures – No urgency)

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

(Arts 256(1), 278 and 279 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 156(4))

(see paras 9-12)

2.      Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable damage – Burden of proof – Need to plead the risk of suffering that damage personally

(Arts 278 and 279 TFEU)

(see paras 15, 23, 24)

3.      Interim relief – 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

(Arts 278 and 279 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 156(4))

(see paras 26, 27)

4.      Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable damage – Burden of proof – Purely hypothetical damage based on the occurrence of future and uncertain events – Insufficient to demonstrate urgency

(Arts 278 and 279 TFEU)

(see paras 33-36)

Re:

Application under Articles 278 and 279 TFEU for, first, annulment of the Commission’s letter of 1 September 2021 bearing the reference COMP.C.4/AH/mdr 2021(092342) and responding to a State aid complaint (SA.64489 – State aid to the Paris Saint-Germain football club) and, second, directions to be issued to the Commission.

Operative part

1. The application for interim measures is dismissed.

2. The costs are reserved.