Order of the Court of First Instance (Fourth Chamber) of 14 November 2008 – Transportes Evaristo Molina v Commission

(Case T-45/08)

Action for annulment – Time-limit for instituting proceedings – Starting point – Publication in the Official Journal – Alleged lack of locus standi at the date of publication – Inadmissibility

1.                     Actions for annulment – Time-limits – Point from which time starts to run – Date of publication of the measure in question (Art. 230, fifth para., EC; Rules of Procedure of the Court of First Instance, Art. 102(1)) (see paras 29-30)

2.                     Procedure – Time-limit for instituting proceedings – Claim barred by lapse of time – Unforeseeable circumstances or force majeure (Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 45, second para.) (see para. 30)

3.                     Actions for annulment – Natural or legal persons – Locus standi – Assessment by the Community judicative alone (Art. 230 EC) (see para. 32)

Re:

ANNULMENT of Commission Decision 2006/446/EC of 12 April 2006, relating to a proceeding under Article 81 EC (Case COMP/B-1/38.348 – Repsol CPP) (summary published in OJ 2006 L 176, p. 104) making binding the undertakings made by Repsol CPP, adopted in accordance with Article 9 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2003 of 16 December 2002 on the implementation of the rules on competition laid down in Articles 81 [EC] and 82 [EC] (OJ 2003 L 1, p. 1).

Operative part

The Court:

1.

Dismisses the action;

2.

Orders it not necessary to adjudicate on the application to intervene made by Repsol Comercial de Productos Petrolíferos, SA;

3.

Orders Transportes Evaristo Molina, SA to bear its own costs and pay those incurred by the Commission.