Order of the General Court (First Chamber, Extended Composition) of 17 December 2021 – Georgios Legakis and Others v Council

(Case T‑765/14)

(Non-contractual liability – Economic and monetary policy – Stability support programme for Cyprus – Euro Group Statements of 16 and 25 March 2013 concerning Cyprus – Statement of the President of the Euro Group of 21 March 2013 concerning Cyprus – Mistaken designation of the defendant – Manifest inadmissibility)

1.      Judicial proceedings – Application initiating proceedings – Formal requirements – Identification of the defendant – Designation as defendant, without error on the part of the applicant, of a person other than the author of the contested measure – Inadmissibility – Limits – Factors allowing the defendant to be identified without difficulty – Absence – Court obliged to identify the defendant – Absence – Misinterpretation of capacity to act as defendant by the applicant

(Art. 268 TFEU; Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 21; Rules of Procedure of the General Court (1991), Art. 44(1)(b))

(see paras 45-47, 50, 52, 54-58)

2.      Actions for damages – Subject matter – Claim for compensation for damage caused by the Euro Group – Intergovernmental body of an informal nature – No competence of its own – Not a body, office or agency of the EU – Inadmissibility

(Arts 3 and 13(1) TEU; Arts 119(2), 137, 268 and 340, second para., TFEU; Protocol No 14 annexed to the EU and FEU Treaties, Art. 1)

(see paras 74-85)

Re:

Application pursuant to Article 268 TFEU seeking compensation for the damage allegedly suffered by the applicants as a result of the Euro Group Statements of 16 and 25 March 2013 and the Statement of the President of the Euro Group of 21 March 2013.

Operative part

1. The action is dismissed as being manifestly inadmissible.

2. Mr Georgios Legakis, Ms Myrto Panagiota Legaki, Ms Maria Legaki and Ms Melina Legaki shall pay the costs.