On 14 June 2010 the General Court of the European Union held an oral hearing in the case T-416/05, concerning an action lodged by Olympic Airlines S.A. for annulment of the European Commission decision C (2005) 2706 on alleged state aid in favour of Olympic Airways. The Olympic Airlines S.A. was represented in the proceedings by our Law Firm. Two more cases were joined for the oral hearing together with the Olympic Airlines’ action, concerning actions lodged by the Olympic Airways – Services S.A. and the Hellenic Republic respectively, for annulment of the same Commission decision. Moreover, Aegean Airlines intervened in the first two cases in favour of the Commission.
The Olympic Airlines case raises important issues of application of European state aid law, as well as issues of defective statement of reasons, which, as we supported, should lead to the annulment of the Commission decision. The General Court’s judgment is expected to be issued until the end of 2010.