76It is settled case-law that the general principle of equal treatment is a fundamental principle of Community law. That principle requires that similar situations are not to be treated differently unless differentiation is objectively justified (Joined Cases 117/76 and 16/77 Ruckdeschel and Others [1977] ECR 1753, paragraph 7; Case 810/79 Überschär [1980] ECR 2747, paragraph 16, Case 147/79 Hochstrass v Court of Justice [1980] ECR 3005, paragraph 7; Case T-48/89 Beltrante and Others v Council [1990] ECR II-493, paragraph 34). Thus, there is a breach of the principle of equal treatment where two classes of persons whose factual and legal situations are not essentially different are treated differently or where different situations are treated in an identical manner (Case T-100/92 La Pietra v Commission [1994] ECR-SC I-A-83 and II-275, paragraph 50, and Case T-66/95 Kuchlenz-Winter v Commission [1997] ECR II-637, paragraph 55).
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