Order of the President of the General Court of 8 December 2021 –
D’Amato and Others v Parliament

(Case T‑722/21 R)

(Application for interim measures – Members of Parliament – Conditions of access to the Parliament’s buildings at its three places of work in connection with the health crisis – Application for suspension of operation of a measure – No urgency)

Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Prima facie case – Urgency – Serious and irreparable harm – Cumulative nature – Order of examination and method of verification – Discretion of the court hearing the application for interim relief – Balancing of all the interests involved

(Arts 256(1), 278 and 279 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 156(4))

(see paras 8-11)

2.	Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable harm – Burden of proof borne by the party seeking the interim measure (Arts 278 and 279 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 156(4)) (see para. 14)

Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable harm – Purely hypothetical damage based on the occurrence of future and uncertain events – Insufficient to demonstrate urgency

(Arts 278 and 279 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 156(4))

(see para. 26)

Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable harm – Risk of fundamental rights being undermined – Risk not in itself constituting serious damage – Burden of proof borne by the party seeking the interim measure – Particularly serious nature of the prima facie case – Irrelevant

(Arts 278 and 279 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 156(4))

(see para. 30)

5.	Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable harm – Burden of proof – Need to plead the risk of suffering that damage personally (Arts 278 and 279 TFEU) (see paras 36, 41)

Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable harm – Burden of proof – Obligation to provide concrete and precise indications, supported by detailed documentary evidence

(Arts 278 and 279 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 156(4))

(see para. 40)

Re:

Application under Articles 278 and 279 TFEU for the suspension of operation of the decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 27 October 2021 on the exceptional health and safety rules governing access to the Parliament’s buildings at its three places of work.

Operative part

1.	The application for interim measures is dismissed.

2.	The order of 15 November 2021, D’Amato and Others v Parliament (T‑722/21 R), is set aside.

3.	The costs are reserved.