Request for a preliminary ruling from the Cour de cassation (Belgium) lodged on 10 July 2024 – Procureur général près la Cour d’appel de Liège v Aldi SA

(Case C-483/24, ALDI)

(C/2024/5788)

Language of the case: French

Referring court

Cour de cassation

Parties to the main proceedings

Appellant: Procureur général près la Cour d’appel de Liège

Respondent: Aldi SA

Question referred

Do the obligations laid down in Article 4(2) of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs, (1) in Annex II thereto and, more specifically, in paragraph 2(c) of Chapter I, paragraph 1(a) of Chapter V, and paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of Chapter IX, impose on wholesale and retail food business operators an obligation as to the result to be achieved, such that the presence of droppings and traces of pests in shops and warehouses is sufficient, except in cases of force majeure, some external cause or unavoidable mistake, to establish an infringement of that regulation, or are food business operators subject only to an obligation to use best endeavours, that is to say to do everything possible to control pests, such that the mere finding by the national administrative authority of the presence of droppings and traces of pests in shops and warehouses is not sufficient to establish an infringement of that regulation?

(1)  Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs (OJ 2004 L 139, p. 1).