MLex: Groundbreaking judgement by EU General Court for EURANIMI

EURANIMI’s legal standing recognized. Lobby groups able to seek legal protection at EU Courts.

EURANIMI, the European Association of Non-Integrated Metal Importers and Distributors, today lost its legal challenge to the extension of the EU steel safeguard — although the bloc’s lower-tier General Court did recognize its legal standing in the case. This is a groundbreaking judgment, because if it becomes effective, lobby groups such as EURANIMI would be able to seek legal protection against EU trade defense measures at the bloc’s courts.

This groundbreaking judgement was delivered following EURANIMI’s appeal against the prolongation of the EU’s steel safeguard measure in March 2023. During this hearing, EURANIMI told the court that, as an association, it can’t lodge a case against the EU steel safeguard or any other EU trade defense measure at the national courts — which leaves it without any legal protection in the EU. The EU trade defense implementing acts can be challenged at national courts by individual importers only. Such cases can then be referred to the EU courts for preliminary rulings.

The judges fully agreed with EURANIMI in October 2023, saying it had legal interest in lodging the appeal against the safeguard as its members were directly concerned by the measure. “The action must therefore be declared admissible,” the judges ruled (see here).

For the full article, visit MLex and for the case history, visit Our Voice.

—

MLex
4 October 2023
English