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Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 5 December 2018

Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 5 December 2018

Data

Court
General Court
Case date
5 december 2018

Verdict

Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 5 December 2018 –
Falcon Technologies International v Commission

(Case T‑875/16)

"(Access to documents - Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 - Assessment report of a notified body within the meaning of the legislation on EC declarations of conformity of medical devices - Refusal of access - Exception relating to protection of commercial interests - Obligation to carry out a specific and individual examination - Overriding public interest - Refusal of partial access)"

Actions for annulmentNatural or legal personsInterest in bringing proceedingsAction against a decision by an institution refusing access to documentsAdmissibility

(Art. 263, fourth para. TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 6(1))

(see paras 28, 29)

EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Exceptions to the right of access to documentsStrict interpretation and applicationObligation to make a specific and individual examination for documents covered by an exceptionScope

(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Recital 11 and Art. 4)

(see paras 39, 40, 58-62)

EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Exceptions to the right of access to documentsProtection of the commercial interests of a given personScopeAssessment report of a notified body within the meaning of the legislation on EC declarations of conformity of medical devicesPossible damage to the notified body’s reputation on account of the details, in the report, regarding the analysis of any non-compliance by the body with the applicable legislationIncluded

(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(2), first indent; Commission Regulation No 920/2013)

(see paras 42, 43, 47-54)

EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Exceptions to the right of access to documentsProtection of commercial interestsRefusal to grant accessObligation to state reasonsScope

(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(2), first indent)

(see paras 68, 69)

EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Documents originating from the institutions held by national authoritiesApplicability of national rules to requests for access

(Art. 4(3) TEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Recital 15 and Art. 5)

(see para. 76)

EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Exceptions to the right of access to documentsProtection of commercial interestsOverriding public interest justifying the disclosure of documentsConceptBurden of proof

(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(2))

(see paras 84, 85)

EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Exceptions to the right of access to documentsOverriding public interest justifying the disclosure of documentsConceptSubjective interest of the person concerned in defending himselfNot included

(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(2))

(see paras 86-89)

EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Exceptions to the principle of access to documentsObligation to grant partial access to those parts of the document not covered by exceptions

(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(6))

(see paras 96, 97)

EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Obligation to demonstrate the usefulness of the document to the applicantAbsence

(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(6))

(see paras 98, 102)

Re:

Application based on Article 263 TFEU seeking annulment of Commission Decision C(2016) 6722 final of 14 October 2016 refusing to grant the applicant access to the document (DG (Santé) 2015-7552.

Operative part

The Court:

Annuls Commission Decision C(2016) 6722 final of 14 October 2016, in so far as it refused partial access to the document DG (Santé) 2015-7552;

Dismisses the action as to the remainder;

Orders Falcon Technologies International LLC and the European Commission each to bear their own costs.