Official Journal of the European Union

EN

C series

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C/2024/6659

11.11.2024

(Case T-467/24)

(C/2024/6659)

Language of the case: German

Parties

Applicant: Deutsche Umwelthilfe eV (Hannover, Germany) (represented by: R. Klinger and C. Douhaire, lawyers)

Defendant: European Commission

Form of order sought

The applicant claims that the Court should:

—annul the defendant’s decision of 9 April 2024 with reference Ares(2024)2585859, which was communicated in German on 31 July 2024, in so far as the applicant’s request for internal review of 6 November 2023

—was refused as inadmissible as regards the failure to withdraw the approval of flufenacet and sulfuryl fluoride under Article 21(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, and

—was refused as unfounded as regards the extension of the approval period for flufenacet and sulfuryl fluoride by Implementing Regulation 2023/1757; (1)

—order the defendant to pay the costs.

Pleas in law and main arguments

In support of the action, the applicant relies on two pleas in law.

1.First plea in law, alleging that the contested decision breaches Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 1367/2006 (2) in conjunction with Article 2(1)(h) thereof, since the Commission erred in refusing as inadmissible the applicant’s request for internal review of the failure to withdraw, under Article 21(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, (3) the approvals of flufenacet and sulfuryl fluoride as active substances.

The failure to withdraw an approval of an active substance under Article 21(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 constitutes an administrative omission under Article 2(1)(h) of Regulation 1367/2006, which is capable of forming the subject matter of a request for internal review.

2.Second plea in law, alleging that the contested decision breaches the first paragraph of Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 in conjunction with the precautionary principle, Article 168(1) TFEU, Article 191(2) TFEU, and Articles 35 and 37 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, (4) in so far as the Commission erred in refusing as unfounded the applicant’s request for internal review of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1757 as regards the extension of the approval of flufenacet and sulfuryl fluoride.

The second plea in law is divided into three parts:

a.First part of the second plea in law: misinterpretation of Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, since that provision cannot be understood as obliging the Commission to extend an approval regardless of the risks that such extension may pose to human health and the environment.

b.Second part of the second plea in law: misinterpretation of Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, since that provision cannot be understood as obliging the Commission to extend an approval regardless of the number and duration of previous extensions.

c.Third part of the second plea in law: infringement of Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, since the extension periods for flufenacet and sulfuryl fluoride set out in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1757 exceeded the period necessary to complete the procedure.

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Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1757 of 11 September 2023 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011 as regards the extension of the approval periods of the active substances bensulfuron, chlormequat, chlorotoluron, clomazone, daminozide, deltamethrin, eugenol, fludioxonil, flufenacet, flumetralin, fosthiazate, geraniol, MCPA, MCPB, propaquizafop, prosulfocarb, quizalofop-P-ethyl, quizalofop-P-tefuryl, sodium 5-nitroguaiacolate, sodium o-nitrophenolate, sodium p-nitrophenolate, sulfuryl fluoride, tebufenpyrad, thymol, and tritosulfuron (OJ 2023 L 224, p. 28).

Regulation (EC) No 1367/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 September 2006 on the application of the provisions of the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters to Community institutions and bodies (OJ 2006 L 264, p. 13).

Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market and repealing Council Directives 79/117/EEC and 91/414/EEC (OJ 2009 L 309, p. 1).

OJ 2012 C 326, p. 391.