Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 29 September 2021 –
Kočner v Europol

(Case T‑528/20)

(Non-contractual liability – Expert reports carried out by Europol for the purposes of national criminal proceedings – Alleged unauthorised disclosure of data – Regulation (EU) 2016/794 – Article 50(1) – Non-material harm – Causal link)

1.      Judicial proceedings – Application initiating proceedings – Formal requirements – Identification of the subject matter of the dispute – Summary of the pleas in law on which the application is based – Application for compensation for damage allegedly caused by an EU institution – Factors enabling identification of the conduct of which the institution is accused, the causal link and the reality and certainty of the damage caused

(Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 21, first para. and 53, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 76(d) and (f))

(see paras 38, 49)

2.      Non-contractual liability – Conditions – Unlawfulness – Damage – Causal link – Cumulative conditions – One of the conditions not satisfied – Action dismissed in its entirety

(Art. 340, second para., TFEU)

(see paras 61, 91, 110, 111)

3.      Judicial proceedings – Proof – Documentary evidence – Probative value – Assessment by the EU judicature – Criteria

(see paras 79, 80)

4.      Acts of the institutions – Preamble – No binding legal force

(see para. 95)

Re:

Application under Article 268 TFEU seeking compensation for damage allegedly suffered by the applicant as a result of Europol’s disclosure of personal data and Europol’s inclusion of his name on the ‘Mafia lists’.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders Mr Marián Kočner to bear his own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol);

3. Orders the Kingdom of Spain to bear its own costs.