Request for a preliminary ruling from the Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale per il Lazio (Italy) lodged on 17 December 2018 — Athesia Energy Srl and Others v Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico, Gestore dei Servizi Energetici (GSE) SpA

(Case C-799/18)

(2019/C 122/08)

Language of the case: Italian

Referring court

Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale per il Lazio

Parties to the main proceedings

Applicants: Athesia Energy Srl, Pv Project Cologna S.r.l., Belriccetto S.r.l., Itt Energy S.r.l., Pietra dei Fiori S.r.l., Energia Solare S.r.l., Green Hunter S.p.A, Actasol 5 S.r.l., Actasol 6 S.r.l., Cinque S.r.l., Spf Energy Uno S.r.l., Spr Energy Due S.r.l., Spf Energy Tre S.r.l., Bulicata S.r.l., Energy Line S.r.l., Marche Solare 1 S.r.l.

Defendants: Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico, Gestore dei servizi energetici (GSE) SpA

Question referred

Does EU law preclude the application of a provision of national law, such as that in Article 26(2) and (3) of Decree-Law No 91/2014, as converted by Law No 116/2014, which significantly reduces or delays the payment of incentives already granted by law and defined on the basis of corresponding agreements concluded by undertakings generating electrical energy by means of photovoltaic conversion with Gestore dei servizi energetici SpA, a public company responsible for that process?

In particular, is that provision of national law compatible with the general principles of EU law relating to legitimate expectation, legal certainty, sincere cooperation and effectiveness, with Articles 16 and 17 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, with Directive 2009/28/EC (1) and with the rules governing support schemes laid down in that directive, and with Article 216(2) TFEU, in particular in relation to the European Energy Charter Treaty?

(1)  Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources and amending and subsequently repealing Directives 2001/77/EC and 2003/30/EC (OJ 2009 L 140, p. 16).