Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 11 July 2018

EU budgetFinancial regulationAward of pre-financingObligation to lodge a bank guaranteeInapplicability in the event of low value grantsConcept of low value grants

(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 966/2012, Art. 134(1) and (2); Commission Regulation No 1268/2012, Arts 185 and 206(1))

(see paras 30-34)

European ParliamentFunding of European political partiesAward of pre-financing grantsVerification procedureConditions for starting the procedureRequirement to produce supporting evidenceNone Requirement to show the probability of the effective exclusion of pre-financing from EU fundingNone

(European Parliament and Council Regulations No 2004/2003, Art. 5(2), and No 966/2012, Art. 134(1); Commission Regulation No 1268/2012, Art. 206(1); European Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, Art. 225(1) and (2); Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament laying down the procedures for implementing Regulation No 2004/2003, Art. 6(1))

(see paras 41-43, 49)

EU lawPrinciplesRight to effective judicial protectionScope

(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47)

(see para. 55)

EU lawPrinciplesDuty to act within a reasonable timeAdministrative procedureCriteria for assessment

(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(1))

(see para. 65)

Judicial proceedingsApplication initiating proceedingsFormal requirementsBrief summary of the pleas in law on which the application is based

(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 76(d))

(see para. 73)

Plea of illegalityPlea raised at the stage of the replyInadmissibility

(Art. 277 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 84(2))

(see para. 80)

EU lawPrinciplesProportionalityScope

(Art. 5(4) TEU)

(see para. 88)

Judicial proceedingsApplication for measures of inquiry and organisation of procedureConditions

(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 88(2))

(see para. 97)

European ParliamentFunding of European political partiesRefusal of a grant applicationInfringement of the rights of free speech and freedom of associationNone

(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Arts 11 and 12; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 2004/2003)

(see para. 109)

Actions for annulmentPleas in lawMisuse of powersMeaning

(Art. 263 TFEU)

(see para. 113)

Re:

Application on the basis of Article 263 TFEU seeking the annulment in part of Decision FINS-2017-15 of the European Parliament of 12 December 2016 concerning the award of a grant to the applicant, in so far as that decision restricts the pre-financing to 33% of the maximum amount of the grant and makes its payment subject to the provision of a bank guarantee.

Operative part

The Court:

Dismisses the action;

Orders Alliance for Peace and Freedom (APF) to pay the costs.