20.2.2017   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 53/28


Judgment of the General Court of 11 January 2017 — Topps Europe v Commission

(Case T-699/14) (1)

((Competition - Agreements, decisions and concerted practices - Abuse of dominant position - Grant of licences in respect of intellectual-property rights for football-related collectibles - Decision rejecting a complaint - Access to the file - Article 8(1) of Regulation (EC) No 773/2004 - Manifest error of assessment - Relevant market - Exclusive licence - Single branding - Excessive prices))

(2017/C 053/34)

Language of the case: English

Parties

Applicant: Topps Europe Ltd (Milton Keynes, United Kingdom) (represented initially by: R. Vidal, A. Penny, Solicitors, and B. Kennelly, QC, then by R. Subiotto, QC, and A. Cleenewerck de Crayencour, lawyer, and subsequently by T. de la Mare, QC)

Defendant: European Commission (represented by: F. Jimeno Fernández and M. Farley, acting as Agents)

Interveners in support of the defendant: Fédération internationale de football association (FIFA) (Zurich, Switzerland) (represented by: A. Barav and D. Reymond, lawyers) and Panini SpA (Modena, Italy) (represented by: F. Wijckmans, F. Tuytschaever and M. Varga, lawyers)

Re:

Application under Article 263 TFEU for annulment of Commission Decision C(2014) 5123 final of 15 July 2014 rejecting the complaint lodged by the applicant in Case AT.39899 — Licensing of intellectual-property rights for football collectibles.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1.

Dismisses the action;

2.

Orders Topps Europe Ltd to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Commission, Fédération internationale de football association (FIFA) and Panini Spa.


(1)  OJ C 448, 15.12.2014.