Opinion of Advocate General Darmon delivered on 18 June 1991

1 Original language: French.

2 OJ 1983 L 290, p. 15.

3 Seventh recital in the preamble to the directive.

4 My emphasis: vessels the length of which between perpendiculars is 18 metres or more are the subject of measures for temporary reduction (Articles 3 and 4 of the directive).

5 Article 5(2).

6 Article 1(1).

7 Article 6.

8 Article 7(1).

9 Concerning the implementation by the United Kingdom of certain measures to adjust capacity in the fisheries sector pursuant to Council Directive 83/515/EEC (OJ 1984 L 18, p. 39).

10 Pages 4 and 5 of the judgment of the High Court.

11 Page 8 of the judgment of the High Court.

12 On this point, see the observations of the United Kingdom, II, 2.4.

13 Judgment in Case 20/88 Roquette Pieres v Commission [1989] F.CR 1553.

14 Paragraph 12 of the judgment.

15 Judgment in Case 12/79 Wagner v Commission [1979] ECR 3657.

16 Judgment in Case 133/79 Sucrimex and Westzucker v Commission [1980] ECR 1299.

17 With regard to the ambiguity of this concept, see for example R. Joliét, Le droit institutionnel des Communautés européennes, le contentieux, Liège 1981, p. 250; J. Rideau and J.-L. Charrier, Code de procédures européennes, Litec 1990, p. 183-186; M. Waelbroeck, J.-V. Louis, D. Vignes, J.-L. Dewost and G. Vandersanden in J. Mégret, Le Droit de la Communauté Economique Européenne, Vol. 1, Book 10, 1983, p. 280.

18 The Non-Contractual Liability of the European Economic Community, XII, Common Market Law Review, p. 512 (1975), vol. 12.

19 On this point, see J. Rideau and J.-L. Charrier, op. cit., at pages 183 to 186.

20 Judgment in Case 281/82 Unifrex v Commission and Council [1984] ECR 1969.

21 Paragraph 11 of the judgment.

22 For a discussion in legal literature, see R. Joliét, op. cit., pages 250 to 258; M. Waelbroeck, J.-V. Louis, D. Vignes, J.-L. Dewost and G. Vandersanden, op. cit., pages 266 to 297; J. Boulouis and R.-M. Chevallier, Grands arrêts de la Cour de justice des Communautés européennes, Vol. 1, Fifth Edition 1991, p. 412 et seq.

23 R. Joliét, op. cit., p. 250-251; M. Waelbroeck, J.-V. Louis, D. Vignes, J.-L. Dewost and G. Vandersanden, op. cit., p. 279.

24 A reference which, furthermore, has been obligatory since the judgment of the Court in Case 314/85 Foto-Frost v Hauptzollamt Lübeck-Ost [1987] ECR 4199.

25 For an application of this solution see: judgment in Case 96/71 Haegeman v Commission [1972] ECR 1005; judgment in Case 26/74 Roquette Frères v Commission [1976] ECR 677; judgment in Case 46/75 IBC v Commission [1976] ECR 65; judgment in Case 133/79 Sucrimex, cited above; judgment in Case 217/81 Interagra v Commission [1982] ECR 2233.

26 See, in particular, the following: judgment in Case 5/71 Zuckerfabrik Schüppcnstcdt v Council [1971] ECR 975; judgment in Joined Cases 9 and 11/71 Compagnie d'Approvisionnement v Commission [1972] ECR 391; judgment in Case 43/72 Merkur v Commission [1973] ECR 1055; judgment in Case 153/73 Holtz and Willemsen v Council and Commission [1974] ECR 675; judgment in Case 74/74 CNTA v Commission [1975] ECR 533; most recently, judgment in Case 81/86 De Boer Buizen v Council and Commission [1987] ECR 3677; judgment in Case 175/84 Krohn v Commission [1986] ECR 753.

27 Case 90/78 Granaria v Council and Commission [1979] ECR 1081.

28 At p. 1099.

29 Case 175/84, cited above.

30 Case 175/84, cited above, at paragraph 27 of the judgment.

31 Case 314/85, cited above.

32 Article 12 provides that Articles 92, 93 and 94 of the Treaty shall apply, in the field covered by this directive, to national aid other than that provided for in Articles 3 and 5.

33 Judgment in Case 300/86 Van Landschoot v Mera [1988] ECK 3443, at paragraphs 22, 23 and 24.

34 Judgment in Case C-37/89 Weiser v Caisse Nationale des Barreaux Français [1990] ECR I-2395.

35 With regard to quellmehl: judgment in Joined Cases 117/76 and 16/77 Ruckdeschel and Others v Hauptzollamt Hamburg-St. Annen; Diamalt v Hauntzollamt Itzehoe [1977] ECR 1753; with regard to gritz: judgment in Joined Cases 124/76 and 20/77 SA Moulins et Huileries de Pont-a-Mousson v ONIC; Société Coopérative Providence Agricole de la Champagne v ONIC [1977] ECR 1795.

36 Judgments in Joined Cases 261 and 262/78 Interquell Stärke-Chemie and Diamalt v Council and Commission [1979] ECR 3045, and in Joined Cases 61 and 113/76, 167 and 239/78, 27, 28 and 45/79 P. Dumortier Frires SA and Others v Council [1979] ECR 3091.

37 At paragraph 6 of each judgment.

38 On this point see the judgment of the Court of Appeal (page 10) which states as follows: The exercise or the Minister's functions under paragraphs 23(2) and 26 are administrative public law functions which would only be reviewable in judicial review proceedings under R. S. C. O. 53 on the well-known principles in Associated Provincial Picture Houses Ltd v Wednesbury Corporation [1948] 1 KB 223.

39 I would refer on this point to the treatment of this question in my Opinion in Joined Cases C-87, C-88 and C-89/90 Verholen and Others v Sociale Verzekeringsbank Amsterdam, in particular at paragraphs 11 to 22.

40 Annex 2 to the application, judgment of the Court of Appeal, p. 30.

41 My emphasis.

42 Judgment of the Court of Appeal, p. 9.

43 Which provides as follows: (1) If the appropriate Minister is satisfied that an application for a decommissioning grant meets the foregoing requirements of this Part, he may approve the application. (2) An approval by the appropriate Minister under sub-paragraph (1) of this paragraph may be made subject to such conditions as the appropriate Minister sees fit.

44 Judgment of the Court of Appeal, p. 40.

45 Case 5/71, cited above, at paragraph II of the judgment.

46 There is no dispute that these are rules of law for the protection of individuals: with regard to the protection of legitimate expectations, see judgment in Case 97/76 Merkur v Commission [1977] ECR 1063.

47 Judgment in Joined Cases 116 and 124/77 Ainylum v Council and Commission [1979] ECR 3497, at paragraph

48 Ibid.

49 R. Joliét, op. cit., p. 269-271; J. Rideau and J.-C. Charrier, op. cit., p. 189.

50 R. Joliet) op. cit., p. 270, paragraph 2; J. Rideau and J.-C. Charrier, op. cit., p. 189.

51 J. Rideau and J.-C. Charrier, op. cit., p. 189.

52 Judgment in Joined Cases 5, 7 and 13 to 24/66 Kampffmeyer and Others v Commission [1967] ECR 245.

53 Joined Cases 5, 7 and 13 to 24/66, cited above, at 266.