62023TO0006(01)_INF
Order of the General Court (Fourth Chamber) of 17 April 2024 –UC v Council
(Case T‑6/23) (
1
)
(Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures adopted in view of the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Freezing of funds – Restriction on admission to the territory of the Member States – Inclusion of the applicant’s name on the list of persons, entities and bodies concerned – Action manifestly lacking any foundation in law)
1.
Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures directed against the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Decision to freeze funds – Judicial review of legality – Scope – Provision of general scope concerning an individual restrictive measure – Inclusion by way of the objection of illegality
(Art. 277 TEU; Council Decision 2010/788/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2016/2231; Council Regulations No 1183/2005 and 2016/2230)
(see paragraph 26)
2.
Acts of the institutions – Legal nature – Legislative act – Meaning – Acts adopted on the basis of Article 29 TFEU and Article 215 TFEU – Not included
(Arts 24(1), 29 and 31(1) TEU; Arts 215 and 289(3) TFEU; Council Decision 2010/788/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2016/2231; Council Regulations No 1183/2005 and 2016/2230)
(see paragraphs 31-36)
3.
Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures directed against the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Choice of legal basis – Article 215 TFEU rather than Article 75 TFEU taken as basis
(Arts 75 and 215 TFEU; Council Decision 2010/788/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2016/2231; Council Regulations No 1183/2005 and 2016/2230)
(see paragraphs 37-39)
4.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Regulation No 1049/2001 – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Protection of the public interest – International relations – Non-legislative implementing acts adopted by the Council in respect of common foreign and security policy – Opening of the Council’s deliberations to the public – Absence – Breaches of the rules on equal treatment and of the obligation of transparency – Absence
(Art. 15(3) TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Arts 20, 21 and 42; Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Arts 4(1)(a) and (3); Council Decisions 2009/937, Art. 8(1), and 2010/788/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2016/2231; Council Regulations No 1183/2005 and 2016/2230)
(see paragraphs 40-46)
5.
Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures directed against the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Legal basis – Restrictive measures provided for by a decision and a regulation adopted, respectively, on the basis of Article 29 TEU and Article 215 TFEU – Power of the Council to adopt independent restrictive measures, distinct from those recommended by the United Nations Security Council – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope
(Art. 29 TEU; Art. 215 TFEU; Council Decision 2010/788/CFSP, as amended by Decisions (CFSP) 2016/2231 and (CFSP) 2022/2398, Annex II; Council Regulations No 1183/2005, Annex Ia, 2016/2230 and 2022/2397)
(see paragraph 62)
6.
EU law – Principles – Rights of the defence – Right to effective judicial protection – Restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities in view of the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Freezing of funds – Act adopting or maintaining such measures – Obligation to disclose individual and specific grounds for the decisions adopted – Right to be heard prior to the adoption of such measures – Obligation to enable the person concerned effectively to put forward his or her point of view regarding the reasons relied on against him or her – Limitations – Conditions
(Art. 296 TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Arts 41(2), 47 and 52(1); Council Decision 2010/788/CFSP, as amended by Decisions (CFSP) 2016/2231 and (CFSP) 2022/2398, Annex II; Council Regulations No 1183/2005, Annex Ia, 2016/2230 and 2022/2397)
(see paragraphs 63, 104-106)
7.
Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures directed against the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Freezing of funds of persons exploiting the armed conflict, instability or insecurity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including through the illicit exploitation or trade of natural resources – Obligation to identify in the statement of reasons individual and specific reasons justifying such measures – Decision falling within a context known to the person concerned, enabling him or her to understand the scope of the measure taken against him or her
(Art. 296 TFEU; Council Decision 2010/788/CFSP, as amended by Decisions (CFSP) 2016/2231 and (CFSP) 2022/2398, Annex II; Council Regulations No 1183/2005, Annex Ia, 2016/2230 and 2022/2397)
(see paragraphs 64-72)
8.
European Union – Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions – Restrictive measures directed against the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Scope of the review – Proof that the measure is well founded – Obligation on the competent EU authority to establish, in the event of challenge, that the reasons relied on against the persons or entities concerned are well founded
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47; Council Decision 2010/788/CFSP, as amended by Decisions (CFSP) 2016/2231 and (CFSP) 2022/2398, Annex II; Council Regulations No 1183/2005, Annex Ia, 2016/2230 and 2022/2397)
(see paragraphs 77-80)
9.
European Union – Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions – Restrictive measures directed against the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Scope of the review – Inclusion of the applicant on the list annexed to the contested decision on account of his business activities – Publicly available documents – Probative value – Inculpatory and exculpatory evidence communicated
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47; Council Decision 2010/788/CFSP, as amended by Decisions (CFSP) 2016/2231 and (CFSP) 2022/2398, Annex II; Council Regulations No 1183/2005, Annex Ia, 2016/2230 and 2022/2397)
(see paragraph 81)
10.
European Union – Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions – Restrictive measures directed against the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Scope of the review – Inclusion of the applicant on the list annexed to the contested decision on account of his business activities – Publicly available documents establishing the facts stated in the grounds for that inclusion – Probative value – Principle of the unfettered assessment of the evidence
(Council Decision 2010/788/CFSP, as amended by Decisions (CFSP) 2016/2231 and (CFSP) 2022/2398, Annex II; Council Regulations No 1183/2005, Annex Ia, 2016/2230 and 2022/2397)
(see paragraphs 82, 88-96)
11.
EU law – Principles – Rights of the defence – Right to effective judicial protection – Restrictive measures directed against the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Freezing of funds – Initial decision including the name of the applicant on the list of persons covered by those measures – Obligation to notify – Scope – Unlawfulness of the act depending on proving the procedural relevance of the infringement of that obligation
(Art. 215(3) TFEU; Council Decision 2010/788/CFSP, as amended by Decisions (CFSP) 2016/2231 and (CFSP) 2022/2398, Art. 7(2) and Annex II; Council Regulations No 1183/2005, Art. 9(3) and Annex Ia, 2016/2230 and 2022/2397)
(see paragraphs 101-103)
12.
Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope – Restrictive measures directed against the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Freezing of funds – Obligation to communicate the reasoning to the person concerned at the same time as the measure adversely affecting him or her or immediately thereafter – Limits – Right of access to documents subject to a request in that behalf to the Council
(Art. 296 TFEU; Council Decision 2010/788/CFSP, as amended by Decisions (CFSP) 2016/2231 and (CFSP) 2022/2398, Annex II; Council Regulations No 1183/2005, Annex Ia, 2016/2230 and 2022/2397)
(see paragraphs 107, 108)
13.
Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures directed against the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Prohibition of the entry and transit, and freezing of funds, of persons undermining the rule of law or contributing to the commission of acts that constitute serious human rights violations – Restriction of the right to property, of the freedom to pursue an economic activity, of the freedom of movement within the European Union and of the right to private and family life – No breach of the principle of proportionality
(Arts 21 and 29 TEU; Art. 215(2) TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Arts 7, 15 to 17, 45 and 52(1); Council Decision 2010/788/CFSP as amended by Decisions (CFSP) 2016/2231 and (CFSP) 2022/2398, Arts 4(1), (2) and (7), 5(1), (2) and (5) to (7); Council Regulations No 1183/2005, Arts 3 and 4b, 2016/2230 and 2022/2397)
(see paragraphs 113-125)
Operative part
1.
The action is dismissed as manifestly lacking any foundation in law.
2.
UC shall bear his own costs and pay those incurred by the Council of the European Union, including those relating to the proceedings for interim relief.
(
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)	OJ C 104, 20.3.2023.