Judgment of the General Court (Sixth Chamber) of 10 September 2015 —
Dow AgroSciences and Dintec Agroquímica — Produtos Químicos v Commission

(Case T‑446/10)

Plant protection products — Active substance trifluralin — Non-inclusion in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC — Regulation (EC) No 33/2008 — Accelerated assessment procedure — Manifest error of assessment — Principle of non-discrimination — Proportionality

1.                     Agriculture — Approximation of laws — Placing of plant protection products on the market — Directive 91/414 — Procedure for adding the active substances of those products to Annex I to that directive — Discretion of the Commission — Judicial review — Scope (Council Directive 91/414, Annex I) (see paras 24-27)

2.                     Agriculture — Approximation of laws — Placing of plant protection products on the market — Directive 91/414 — Commission decision on the non-registration of an active substance in Annex I to that directive — Lack of sufficient information to conclude that no risks present — No manifest error of assessment — No infringement of the principle of sound administration or of defence rights (European Parliament and Council Regulation No 850/2004, Art. 3(3); Commission Regulation No 33/2008, Art. 15; Council Directive 91/414, Art. 5(1) and (2), and Annexes I and II) (see paras 31-48)

3.                     Agriculture — Approximation of laws — Placing of plant protection products on the market — Directive 91/414 — Commission decision on the non-registration of an active substance in Annex I to that directive — No infringement of the principle of non-discrimination (Council Directive 91/414, Art. 5(1), and Annex I) (see paras 52-59)

4.                     Agriculture — Approximation of laws — Placing of plant protection products on the market — Directive 91/414 — Commission decision on the non-registration of an active substance in Annex I to that directive — Lack of sufficient information to conclude that no risks present — No breach of principle of proportionality (Council Directive 91/414, Art. 5(1), and Annex I) (see paras 63-74)

Re:

APPLICATION for annulment of Commission Decision 2010/355/EU of 25 June 2010 concerning the non-inclusion of trifluralin in Annex I to Council Directive 91/414/EEC (OJ 2010 L 160, p. 30).

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders Dow AgroSciences Ltd and Dintec Agroquímica — Produtos Químicos, Lda to bear their own costs and to pay the costs incurred by the European Commission.