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CJEU - Joined cases T 217/03 and T 245/03 / Judgment

Fédération nationale de la coopération bétail et viande (FNCBV), and Fédération nationale des syndicats d'exploitants agricoles (FNSEA) and Others v Commission of the European Communities
Policy area
Competition
Deciding body type
Court of Justice of the European Union
Deciding body
Court of First Instance (First Chamber)
Type
Decision
Decision date
13/12/2006
ECLI (European case law identifier)
ECLI:EU:T:2006:391

Euroopa Liidu põhiõiguste harta

Title II: Freedoms

Article 12 - Freedom of assembly and of association

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  • CJEU - Joined cases T 217/03 and T 245/03 / Judgment

    Key facts of the case:

    Competition - Article 81(1) EC - Beef - Suspension of imports - Fixing of a union price scale - Regulation No 26 - Associations of undertakings - Restriction of competition - Trade union action - Effect on trade between Member States - Obligation to state reasons - Guidelines on the method of setting fines - Principle of proportionality - Gravity and duration of the infringement - Aggravating and attenuating circumstances - Prohibition of multiple sanctions - Rights of the defence.

    Outcome of the case:

    THE COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE (First Chamber) hereby:

    1. Sets the amount of the fine imposed on the Fédération nationale de la coopération bétail et viande, the applicant in Case T-217/03, at EUR 360 000;
    2. Sets the amount of the fines imposed on the applicants in Case T-245/03 as follows: EUR 9 000 000 for the Fédération nationale des syndicats d’exploitants agricoles, EUR 1 080 000 for the Fédération nationale bovine, EUR 1 080 000 for the Fédération nationale des producteurs de lait and EUR 450 000 for Jeunes agriculteurs;
    3. Dismisses the remainder of the application;
    4. Orders the applicants to bear their own costs in the main proceedings and to pay three-quarters of those of the Commission in the main proceedings;
    5. Orders the Commission to bear one-quarter of its costs in the main proceedings and to pay all the costs in the proceedings for interim measures;
    6. Orders the French Republic to bear its own costs.
  • Paragraphs referring to EU Charter

    95) The applicants in Case T-245/03 submit that the Commission manifestly erred in its assessment in limiting, so far as they are concerned, the freedom of association in trade unions, recognised by Article 12(1) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, proclaimed at Nice on 7 December 2000 (OJ 2000 C 364, p. 1). In particular, the Commission overlooked the specific management functions of French farmers’ unions. The Commission was also seriously imprecise when it demanded that the penalised federations should refrain in future from any agreement, concerted practice or decision which may have an object or effect similar to the infringement alleged against them, whereas a trade union is required to organise concerted action among its members to defend their collective interests.