Order of the President of the General Court of 9 June 2023 –
FFPE section Council v Council

(Case T‑179/23 R)

(Interim relief – Law governing the institutions – Trade union or professional associations (OSPs) – Agreement concluded between the Council and the OSPs of the General Secretariat of the Council – Procedure for verifying the criteria for the recognition and the representativeness of the OSPs – Suspension of rights flowing from the agreement of an OSP not reaching the threshold of representativeness – Application for suspension of operation of a measure – No urgency)

1. 

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

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

(see paragraphs 13-16)

2. 

Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable damage – Burden of proof

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

(see paragraph 19)

3. 

Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Council decision on the outcome of the procedure verifying the criteria of representativeness of trade unions and staff associations of the staff in the Council’s General Secretariat – Loss of members and a threat to the existence of the applicant – Lack of diligence by the applicant taken into account – No urgency

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

(see paragraphs 22, 24-26)

4. 

Interim relief – Suspension of operation of a measure – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Serious and irreparable damage – Loss of members and a threat to the existence of the applicant – Possibility of the applicant continuing its activities and regaining a sufficient number of members to achieve representativeness – Damage which cannot be regarded as irreparable

(Arts 278 and 279 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 156(3))

(see paragraphs 30-32)

Operative part

1. 

The application for interim measures is dismissed.

2. 

The costs are reserved.