22.9.2012   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 287/8


Judgment of the Court (Fourth Chamber) of 12 July 2012 (reference for a preliminary ruling from the Tribunal Supremo — Spain) — Vodafone España SA v Ayuntamiento de Santa Amalia (C-55/11), Ayuntamiento de Tudela (C-57/11), and France Telecom España SA v Ayuntamiento de Torremayor (C-58/11)

(Joined Cases C-55/11, C-57/11 and C-58/11) (1)

(Directive 2002/20/EC - Electronic communications networks and services - Authorisation - Article 13 - Fees for rights of use and rights to install facilities)

2012/C 287/13

Language of the case: Spanish

Referring court

Tribunal Supremo

Parties to the main proceedings

Applicants: Vodafone España SA (C-55/11 and C-57/11), France Telecom España SA (C-58/11)

Defendants: Ayuntamiento de Santa Amalia (C-55/11), Ayuntamiento de Tudela (C-57/11), Ayuntamiento de Torremayor (C-58/11)

Re:

Reference for preliminary ruling — Tribunal Supremo — Interpretation of Article 13 of Directive 2002/20/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on the authorisation of electronic communications networks and services (Authorisation Directive) (OJ 2002 L 108, p. 21) — Fees for rights of use and the right to install equipment — Municipal public property

Operative part of the judgment

1.

Article 13 of Directive 2002/20/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on the authorisation of electronic communications networks and services (Authorisation Directive) must be interpreted as precluding the imposition of a fee for the right to install facilities on, over or under public or private property on operating undertakings which, without being proprietors of those facilities, use them to provide mobile telephony services;

2.

Article 13 of Directive 2002/20 has direct effect and therefore it grants individuals the right to rely upon it before the national courts to dispute the application of a decision by the public authority that is incompatible with that article.


(1)  OJ C 139, 7.5.2011.