Order of the President of the General Court of 31 January 2020 –
Shindler and Others v Commission

(Case T‑627/19 R)

(Interim measures — Area of freedom, security and justice — Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union — UK citizens residing in another EU Member State — Loss of EU citizenship — Action for failure to act — Inadmissibility of the application for interim measures)

1.      Application for interim relief — Suspension of operation of a measure — Interim measures — Conditions for granting — Prima facie case — Urgency — Serious and irreparable damage — Cumulative nature — Balancing of all the interests involved — Order of examination and method of verification — Discretion of the court hearing the application for interim relief

(Arts 256(1), 278 and 279 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 156)

(see paras 12, 14, 15)

2.      Application for interim relief — Suspension of operation of a measure — Admissibility criteria — Applicant’s interest in obtaining the suspension sought — Application brought against a negative administrative decision — Suspension incapable of altering the applicant’s situation — No interest in bringing proceedings — Inadmissibility

(Art. 278 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 156(4))

(see para. 21)

3.      Border controls, asylum and immigration — Immigration policy — Status of British nationals after the date of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union — Adoption of interim measures — Competence of the Commission — Application for interim relief seeking an order requiring the Commission to adopt measures to maintain the applicants’ EU citizenship beyond that date or to establish an alternative status — Rejection

(Arts 263, 266 and 279 TFEU)

(see para. 24)

Re:

Application under Article 279 TFEU and Article 156 of the Rules of Procedure of the General Court, seeking (i) suspension of the Commission’s express refusal of 13 September 2019 to recognise its failure to act, and (ii) an order requiring the Commission to take certain interim measures to maintain the applicants’ EU citizenship beyond the date of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and adopt an interim decision on an alternative status to that citizenship comprising various measures relating to entry, stay, social rights and professional activity applicable in the absence of agreement on the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.

Operative part

1. The application for interim measures is dismissed.

2. The costs are reserved.