Order of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 10 August 2021 –
Jakeliūnas v ESMA

(Case T‑760/20)

(Action for annulment and for failure to act – Request to launch an inquiry – Refusal of the President of ESMA – Act not open to challenge – Inadmissibility – Application for an injunction – Lack of jurisdiction)

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 – Unambiguous wording of the form of order sought by the applicant

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

(see para. 16)

2.      Action for annulment – Actionable measures – Acts intended to have legal effects – Meaning – Conditions

(Art. 263 TFEU)

(see para. 24)

3.      Action for annulment – Actionable measures – Refusal by the Chair of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) to launch an inquiry regarding an alleged infringement of EU law – Precluded

(Art. 263 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulations No 1095/2010, Arts 17(2) and 22(4), and No 2019/2175; Council Regulation No 1/2003)

(see paras 25, 29-33)

4.      Actions for failure to act – Natural or legal persons – Actionable omissions – Alleged failure by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) to adopt a measure which may be contested by means of an action for annulment – Not included – Claim for a declaration that ESMA has failed to act – Inadmissibility

(Arts 263 and 265 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1095/2010, Arts 17 and 22(4))

(see paras 37-39)

5.      Action for annulment – Jurisdiction of the EU judicature – Claim seeking that directions be issued to an institution – Inadmissibility

(Art. 263 TFEU)

(see para. 40)

Re:

In essence, application, first, under Article 265 TFEU seeking a declaration that ESMA unlawfully refrained from launching an inquiry in respect of the infringement of Directive 2003/6/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2003 on insider dealing and market manipulation (market abuse) (OJ 2003 L 96, p. 16) and, second, under Article 263 TFEU seeking annulment of the decision allegedly contained in the letter of the President of ESMA of 20 October 2020 refusing to launch that inquiry.

Operative part

1. The action is dismissed.

2. Mr. Stasys Jakeliūnas shall pay the costs.