Gare du Nord: SNCF ordered to pay 274 million euros to a company in the Mulliez group

"The concession company Gare du Nord 2024 welcomes the decision handed down today by the Paris Administrative Court, which recognizes the wrongful nature of the forfeiture of the concession contract," said Gare du Nord 2024 in a statement.

SNCF Gares et Connexions, a subsidiary of the SNCF Group, admitted to being "aware" of this decision, against which it has decided to "appeal", a spokesperson told AFP.

In the dispute over the interrupted renovation of the Gare du Nord, which has pitted SNCF against Ceetrus, a company controlled by the Mulliez family, since 2021, this is a setback for SNCF, which had obtained a first legal victory against Ceetrus in 2023 before the commercial court and received compensation of 47 million euros.

"This decision restores the facts and highlights the strength of the concessionaire's legal position, as well as the quality of the work carried out from the outset by all the teams mobilized on this project of general interest," said the company Gare du Nord 2024.

SNCF Gares et Connexions, the SNCF subsidiary in charge of managing the real estate assets of the national rail operator, is ordered to pay "229 million euros excluding tax, i.e. 274,8 million euros including all taxes, plus default interest at a rate of 8% from February 23, 2022, as well as the capitalization of interest on February 23, 2023 and at each annual due date since that date in compensation for the damages suffered as a result of the wrongful termination of the concession contract of February 22, 2019", according to the text of the judgment consulted by AFP.

In 2021, SNCF abandoned the ambitious but controversial expansion project for this Parisian station, one of the busiest in Europe with 700.000 passengers per day, including all those who use the Eurostar to London.