23.4.2018

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 142/52

(Case T-41/18)

(2018/C 142/69)

Language of the case: Spanish

Parties

Applicant: Autoridad Portuaria de Vigo (Vigo, Spain) (represented by: J. Costas Alonso, lawyer)

Defendant: European Commission

Form of order sought

The applicant claims that the Court should:

—ensure that the European Commission, as guardian of the Treaties, fulfills its obligation to ensure the uniform application of Community provisions by all the Member States, takes action to guarantee uniform application of EU legislation relating to imports of products of animal origin from third countries in all Member States, and standardises the rules governing such controls;

—in particular, order the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety to carry out a comparative analysis on the application of EU legislation that regulates imports of products of animal origin from third countries through the ports of Vigo and Leixoes (Portugal).

Pleas in law and main arguments

In support of the action, the applicant claims that inconsistent application of EU legislation in relation to the importation of frozen and refrigerated fishery products from non-EU countries has skewed competition rules and the level playing field, leading to a distortion of the internal market.

In that regard, it also submits that ports play a key role in freight transportation and, more specifically, in relation to imports of fishery products, 76 % of which enter through ports.