Functional links between locus standi of third parties and the standard of assessment of impact on competition and trade in State aid cases

Funkcjonalne powiązanie legitymacji procesowej podmiotów trzecich ze standardem oceny wpływu na konkurencję handel w sprawach z zakresu pomocy państwa

This paper seeks to analyse the new interpretive approach taken by the Court of Justice in State aid cases. According to this approach, evaluating the impact on competition and trade is considered essential to determine whether an entity that is not a beneficiary of the European Commission's decision can be regarded as an 'interested party'. The author will assess the potential consequences of this interpretive approach, particularly examining whether evaluating the impact on trade and competition is an appropriate tool to guarantee access to the Court in State aid cases, especially for indirect competitors and plaintiffs claiming infringement of their non-economic interests.

Niniejszy artykuł poświęcony jest analizie nowego podejścia interpretacyjnego Trybunału Sprawiedliwości UE, gdzie w sprawach z zakresu pomocy państwa traktuje przeprowadzenie analizy wpływu na konkurencję i handel jako gwarancję praw procesowych, gdyż tylko takie badanie pozwoli ocenić, czy podmiot niebędący adresatem decyzji Komisji Europejskiej będzie w danej sprawie „stroną zainteresowaną”. Autor ocenia, jakie mogą być konsekwencje nowego podejścia do wielokrotnie krytykowanego za zbytnią rudymentarność standardu oceny wpływu środków pomocowych na rynek i czy rzeczywiście badanie wpływu na handel i konkurencję jest odpowiednim narzędziem gwarantującym dostęp do sądu w sprawach dotyczących pomocy publicznej, zwłaszcza dla podmiotów, które nie są bezpośrednimi konkurentami beneficjenta albo podnoszą naruszenie interesu nieekonomicznego.

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