Judgment of the Court (Eighth Chamber) of 26 February 2015 (request for a preliminary ruling from the Corte suprema di cassazione — Italy) — Ministero delle Politiche agricole, alimentari e forestali v Federazione Italiana Consorzi Agrari Soc. coop. arl — Federconsorzi, admitted to a collective insolvency procedure known as ‘concordato preventivo’, Liquidazione giudiziale dei beni ceduti ai creditori della Federazione Italiana Consorzi Agrari Soc. coop. arl — Federconsorzi

(Case C-104/14) (1)

((Reference for a preliminary ruling - Third paragraph of Article 288 TFEU - Combating late payments in commercial transactions - Directive 2000/35/EC - Articles 2, 3 and 6 - Directive 2011/7/EU - Articles 2, 7 and 12 - Legislation of a Member State capable of modifying, to the detriment of a creditor of the State, the interest on a debt predating those directives))

(2015/C 138/26)

Language of the case: Italian

Referring court

Corte suprema di cassazione

Parties to the main proceedings

Appellant: Ministero delle Politiche agricole, alimentari e forestali

Respondents: Federazione Italiana Consorzi Agrari Soc. coop. arl — Federconsorzi, admitted to a collective insolvency procedure known as ‘concordato preventivo’, Liquidazione giudiziale dei beni ceduti ai creditori della Federazione Italiana Consorzi Agrari Soc. coop. arl — Federconsorzi

Operative part of the judgment

The third paragraph of Article 288 TFEU and Articles 3(3) and 6 of Directive 2000/35/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 June 2000 on combating late payment in commercial transactions and Articles 7 and 12 of Directive 2011/7/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 on combating late payment in commercial transactions must be interpreted as not precluding a Member State which has made use of the option under Article 6(3)(b) of Directive 2000/35 from adopting, during the period prescribed for transposition of Directive 2011/7, legislative provisions, such as those at issue in the main proceedings, which are capable of modifying, to the detriment of a creditor of the State, the interest on a debt arising out of the performance of a contract concluded before 8 August 2002.

(1)  OJ C 184, 16.6.2014.