Official Journal of the European Union

C 475/6

(Case C-424/15) (<a id="ntc1-C_2016475EN.01000602-E0001" href="#ntr1-C_2016475EN.01000602-E0001"> (<span class="super note-tag">1</span>)</a>)

((Reference for a preliminary ruling - Electronic communications networks and services - Directive 2002/21/EC - Article 3 - Impartiality and independence of national regulatory authorities - Institutional reform - Merger of national regulatory authority with other regulatory authorities - Dismissal of the President and a board member of the merged national regulatory authority before the expiry of their terms of office - Ground for dismissal not provided for under national law))

(2016/C 475/08)

Language of the case: Spanish

Referring court

Parties to the main proceedings

Applicants: Xabier Ormaetxea Garai, Bernardo Lorenzo Almendros

Defendant: Administración del Estado

Operative part of the judgment

1.Directive 2002/21/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services (Framework Directive), as amended by Directive 2009/140/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009, is to be interpreted as not precluding, in principle, national legislation which entails the merger of a national regulatory authority, within the meaning of Directive 2002/21, as amended by Directive 2009/140, with other national regulatory authorities, such as the authorities responsible for competition, the postal sector and the energy sector, in order to create a multisectoral regulatory body responsible, inter alia, for the tasks entrusted to national regulatory authorities, within the meaning of that directive, as amended, provided that, in performing those tasks, that body meets the requirements of competence, independence, impartiality and transparency laid down by that directive and that an effective right of appeal is available against its decisions to a body independent of the parties involved, which is a matter to be determined by the national court.

2.Article 3(3a) of Directive 2002/21, as amended by Directive 2009/140, is to be interpreted as precluding — on the sole ground that an institutional reform has taken place involving the merger of a national regulatory authority responsible for ex-ante market regulation or for resolution of disputes between undertakings with other national regulatory authorities in order to create a multisectoral regulatory body responsible, inter alia, for the tasks entrusted to national regulatory authorities, within the meaning of that directive, as amended — the dismissal of the President and a board member, members of the collegiate body running the merged national regulatory authority, before the expiry of their terms of office, in the absence of any rules guaranteeing that such dismissals do not jeopardise the independence and impartiality of such members.

(<a id="ntr1-C_2016475EN.01000602-E0001" href="#ntc1-C_2016475EN.01000602-E0001">(<span class="super">1</span>)</a> OJ C 363, 3.11.2015)