European Commission breaching professional secrecy by disclosing company’s trade name
Date: 08/11/2011In its judgement dated 8 November 2011, General Court of the European Union decided that the European Commission breached its obligation to keep confidential professional secrecy in investigating compatibility of state aid with the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union. The European Commission disclosed in its decision published in the Official Journal of the EU the name of the company despite the fact that the disclosure was not necessary for the investigation. The European Court of Justice awarded the corporation compensation of non-material damage suffered by the company on account of the Commission’s actions, and also compensatory interest.