Judgment of the General Court of 21 May 2025 – Interneto žiniasklaidos asociacija and Others v Commission

(Case T-72/22)  (1)

(State aid - State measures amending the existing aid granted to the Lithuanian public service broadcasting organisation LRT - Rejection of a complaint - Decision not to raise any objections - Action for annulment - Status as an interested party - Safeguarding of procedural rights - Admissibility - Serious difficulties - Substantial alteration to existing aid)

(C/2025/3513)

Language of the case: English

Parties

Applicants: Interneto žiniasklaidos asociacija (Vilnius, Lithuania), All Media Lithuania UAB (Vilnius), All Media Radijas UAB (Vilnius) (represented by: K. Kačerauskas, lawyer)

Defendant: European Commission (represented by: L. Nicolae, acting as Agent)

Interveners in support of the defendant: Lietuvos nacionalinis radijas ir televizija VšĮ (Vilnius, Lithuania) (represented by: D. Miniotas, lawyer), European Broadcasting Union (EBU) (Grand-Saconnex, Switzerland) (represented by: D. Waelbroeck, D. Fosselard and J. Bracker, lawyers)

Re:

By their action under Article 263 TFEU, the applicants seek the annulment of the letter from the European Commission bearing the reference COMP.C.4/KK/ASz/ao D(2021)7942463 of 25 November 2021 on State aid SA.57787 (2020/FC) – Lithuania – State aid to public service broadcaster LRT – LT.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1.	Annuls the letter from the European Commission bearing the reference COMP.C.4/KK/ASz/ao D(2021)7942463 of 25 November 2021 on State Aid SA.57787 (2020/FC) – Lithuania – State aid to public service broadcaster LRT – LT;

2.	Orders the Commission to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Interneto žiniasklaidos asociacija, All Media Lithuania UAB and All Media Radijas UAB;

3.	Orders Lietuvos nacionalinis radijas ir televizija VšĮ and European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to bear their own costs.

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(1)   OJ C 171, 25.4.2022.