Judgment_paragraph 201 · Corus UK Ltd, formerly British Steel plc v Commission of the European Communities (T-48/00)

201Corus points out, first, that, according to settled case-law, the principle of equal treatment is infringed where comparable situations are treated differently or different situations are treated in the same way, unless such difference in treatment is objectively justified (Case 106/83 Sermide [1984] ECR 4209, paragraph 28, and Case C-174/89 Hoche [1990] ECR I-2681, paragraph 25; to the same effect, Case T-100/92 La Pietra v Commission [1994] ECRSC I-A-83 and II-275, paragraph 50). It adds that that principle is often applied in relation to the imposition of fines (Case T-7/89 Hercules Chemicals v Commission, paragraph 116 above, paragraph 295; Case T-141/89 Trefileurope v Commission [1995] ECR II-791, paragraph 185; Case T-142/89 Böel v Commission [1995] ECR II-867, paragraphs 128 to 135; Case T-143/89 Ferriere Nord v Commission [1995] ECR II-917, paragraphs 54 to 56; Case T-150/89 Martinelli v Commission [1995] ECR II-1165, paragraphs 57 to 61; Case T-49/95 Van Megen Sports v Commission [1996] ECR II-1799, paragraph 56; Finnboard v Commission, paragraph 190 above, and Mayr-Melnhof v Commission, paragraph 190 above, paragraphs 334 to 336 and 352 to 354).