25.10.2021

Official Journal of the European Union

C 431/42

(Case T-436/21)

(2021/C 431/50)

Language of the case: Slovak

Parties

Applicant: Leon Leonard Johan Veen (Oss, the Netherlands) (represented by: T. Lysina, lawyer)

Defendant: European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol)

Form of order sought

The applicant claims that the General Court should:

—order the European Union, represented by the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) to pay the applicant the sum of EUR 50 000;

—order the defendant to pay the costs of the proceedings.

Pleas in law and main arguments

In support of his action for the award of damages based on non-contractual liability, brought pursuant to Articles 268 and 340 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 50(1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/794, (1) the applicant relies on a single plea in law, based on the unlawful processing of his personal data by the defendant.

The applicant submits, in his plea in law, that the defendant included in the investigation file as evidence in criminal proceedings brought against the applicant in the Slovak Republic, a report by the defendant containing negative and false information about the applicant, unsubstantiated by evidence, resulting in the harmful event. He argues that through that conduct he sustained a slur on his good name and reputation and it entailed an infringement of his right to family life. The applicant has thus incurred non-material damage causally linked to that harmful event, which he assesses at EUR 50 000.

*

Regulation (EU) 2016/794 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2016 on the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) and replacing and repealing Council Decisions 2009/371/JHA, 2009/934/JHA, 2009/935/JHA, 2009/936/JHA and 2009/968/JHA (OJ 2016 L 135, p. 53).