1. 

EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Decision 2004/258 of the European Central Bank – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Protection of the public interest – Confidentiality of the deliberations of decision-making bodies – Refusal of access to decisions of the Governing Council and to the minutes transcribing them – Obligation to state reasons – Scope – Statement of reasons limited to raising the exception concerned

(Decision 2004/258 of the European Central Bank, Recital 3 and Art. 4(1)(a); Protocol on the Statute of the European System of Central Banks and of the European Central Bank, Art. 10(4))

(see paras 40, 42-46, 53)

2. 

Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope

(Art. 296, second subparagraph, TFEU)

(see para. 41)

3. 

EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Decision 2004/258 of the European Central Bank – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Protection of the public interest – Confidentiality of the deliberations of decision-making bodies – Possibility of disclosure left to the body concerned

(Decision 2004/258 of the European Central Bank, Recital 3 and Arts. 4(1)(a) and 7(1); Protocol on the Statute of the European System of Central Banks and of the European Central Bank, Art. 10(4))

(see paras 50-52)

1. 

Sets aside point 1 of the operative part of the judgment of the General Court of the European Union of 13 March 2019, Espírito Santo Financial Group v ECB (T‑730/16, not published, EU:T:2019:161), in so far as the General Court annulled the decision of the European Central Bank (ECB) of 31 August 2016 partially refusing to disclose certain documents relating to the ECB decision of 1 August 2014 concerning Banco Espírito Santo SA in that, by that decision, the ECB refused to disclose the amount of credit set out in the extracts of the minutes recording the decision of the Governing Council of the ECB of 28 July 2014;

2. 

Sets aside point 3 of the operative part of the judgment of the General Court of the European Union of 13 March 2019, Espírito Santo Financial Group v ECB (T‑730/16, not published, EU:T:2019:161), in so far as it ruled on costs;

3. 

Dismisses the appeal as to the remainder;

4. 

Dismisses the action for annulment brought by the Insolvent Estate of Espírito Santo Financial Group SA in so far as it seeks annulment of the European Central Bank (ECB) decision of 31 August 2016 partially refusing to disclose certain documents relating to the ECB decision of 1 August 2014 concerning Banco Espírito Santo SA in that, by that decision, the ECB refused to disclose the amount of credit set out in the extracts from the minutes recording the decision of the Governing Council of the ECB of 28 July 2014;

5. 

Orders the Insolvent Estate of Espírito Santo Financial Group SA to bear its own costs and to pay half of those incurred by the European Central Bank in the proceedings both at first instance and on appeal;

6. 

Orders the European Central Bank to bear half of its own costs incurred in the proceedings both at first instance and on appeal.