This document is an excerpt from the EUR-Lex website
Document 62019TN0740
Case T-740/19: Action brought on 31 October 2019 – Laird v Commission
Case T-740/19: Action brought on 31 October 2019 – Laird v Commission
Case T-740/19: Action brought on 31 October 2019 – Laird v Commission
OJ C 27, 27.1.2020, p. 38–39
(BG, ES, CS, DA, DE, ET, EL, EN, FR, HR, IT, LV, LT, HU, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SK, SL, FI, SV)
27.1.2020 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 27/38 |
Action brought on 31 October 2019 – Laird v Commission
(Case T-740/19)
(2020/C 27/46)
Language of the case: English
Parties
Applicant: Laird Ltd (London, United Kingdom) (represented by: C. Quigley, Barrister, and D. Gillespie, Solicitor)
Defendant: European Commission
Form of order sought
The applicant claims that the Court should:
— |
annul the Commission decision C(2019) 2526 final of 2 April 2019 on the State aid SA.44896; |
— |
alternatively, annul Article 2 of the contested decision insofar as it applies to the applicant; |
— |
in the further alternative, annul Article 2 of the contested decision in respect of any aid granted in the period prior to 24 November 2017 in so far as it applies to the applicant; |
— |
order the applicant’s costs to be paid by the Commission. |
Pleas in law and main arguments
In support of the action, the applicant relies on three pleas in law.
1. |
First plea in law, alleging the illegality of Article 1 of the contested decision on the following grounds, in so far as it concerns a determination that the Group Financing Exemption (GFE) constitutes an (economic) advantage within the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU, resulting, in particular, from:
|
2. |
Second plea in law, alleging the illegality of Article 1 of the contested decision on the following grounds, in so far as it concerns a determination that the GFE constitutes a selective advantage within the meaning of Article 107(1) TFEU, resulting, in particular, from the following facts:
|
3. |
Third plea in law, alleging the illegality of Article 2 of the contested decision on the grounds of breach of legitimate expectation and infringement of the principles of legal certainty and proportionality. Alternatively, it is argued that recovery should not be ordered in respect of any aid granted through the GFE prior to 24 November 2017, when the Commission published its opening decision. |
(1) Council Directive (EU) 2016/1164 of 12 July 2016 laying down rules against tax avoidance practices that directly affect the functioning of the internal market (OJ 2016 L 193, p. 1).