Case T‑620/13

Marchi Industriale SpA

v

European Chemicals Agency

(REACH — Fee for registration of a substance — Reduction granted to micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises — Error in declaration relating to the size of the enterprise — Recommendation 2003/361/EC — Decision imposing an administrative charge — Determination of the size of the undertaking — Power of the ECHA — Obligation to state reasons)

Summary — Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber), 15 September 2016

1.      Actions for annulment — Jurisdiction of the EU judicature — Action against a decision of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) refusing to an applicant for registration the reduction in the fee laid down for medium-sized undertakings — Admissibility — Parallel action pending before the Board of Appeal of ECHA — Irrelevant

(Art. 263 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1907/2006, Arts 6(4), 91(1), and 94(1); Commission Regulation No 340/2008, Art. 13(4))

2.      Acts of the institutions — Statement of reasons — Obligation — Scope — Decision of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) refusing to an applicant for registration the reduction in the fee laid down for medium-sized undertakings

(Art. 296 TFEU; Commission Regulation No 340/2008, Art. 13(4); Commission Recommendation 2003/361, Annex, Art. 6(3))

1.      The EU judicature has jurisdiction to hear an action against a decision of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) taken pursuant to Article 13(4) of Regulation No 340/2008 on the fees and charges payable to ECHA pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals, and the restrictions applicable to those substances (REACH), finding that the applicant does not fulfil the conditions for enjoying the reduction in the fee for medium-sized undertakings and imposing an administrative charge upon it, even if an action brought by the applicant against the contested decision is pending before the Board of Appeal of ECHA.

Article 94(1) of Regulation No 1907/2006 provides that the General Court or the Court of Justice may hear, in accordance with Article 263 TFEU, a challenge to a decision of the Board of Appeal or, where there is no right of appeal to the Board of Appeal, a decision of ECHA. In that regard, Article 91(1) of that regulation provides that decisions taken by ECHA pursuant to Articles 9, 20, 27(6), 30(2) and (3) and 51 of the said regulation may form the subject-matter of an action before the Board of Appeal. Those provisions have no connection with the fee to be paid by registering undertakings.

(see paras 18, 19, 21, 23)

2.      See the text of the decision.

(see paras 27, 38)