62022TJ0359_INF
Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 6 December 2023 –Zubitskiy v Council
(Case T‑359/22) (
1
)
(Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures taken in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine – Freezing of funds – List of persons, entities and bodies subject to the freezing of funds and economic resources – Inclusion of the applicant’s name on the list – Concept of ‘leading businessperson’ – Article 3(1)(g) of Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 – Plea of illegality – Obligation to state reasons – Error of assessment – Right to property – Freedom to conduct a business – Proportionality)
1.
Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope – Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Ukraine – Leading businesspersons involved in economic sectors providing a substantial source of revenue to the Government of the Russian Federation and persons associated with them – Obligation to identify in the statement of reasons the specific and concrete elements justifying the measure – Decision falling within a context known to the person concerned, enabling him or her to understand the scope of the measure taken in relation to him or her – Whether summary statement of reasons sufficient
(Art. 296 TFEU; Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2022/329; Council Regulations No 269/2014 and 2022/330)
(see paragraphs 28-32, 38-42)
2.
European Union – Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions – Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Ukraine – 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 – Inclusion on the lists based on a specific, precise and consistent set of indicia – Error of assessment – None
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47; Council Regulations No 269/2014 and 2022/330)
(see paragraphs 44-48, 51, 64, 69, 89)
3.
Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Ukraine – Criteria for adopting restrictive measures – Leading businesspersons involved in economic sectors providing a substantial source of revenue to the Government of the Russian Federation and persons associated with them – Concept – Need to establish direct links or a relation of interdependence between the person subject to the measures and the Russian Government or its actions undermining the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine – None
(Council Regulations No 269/2014, Art. 3(1)(g), and 2022/330)
(see paragraphs 49, 50, 71-73, 82, 84, 87, 88)
4.
European Union – Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions – Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Ukraine – Scope of the review – Inclusion of the applicant on the list annexed to the contested decision on account of his status as leading businessperson involved in economic sectors providing a substantial source of revenue to the Government of the Russian Federation – Publicly available documents – Admissibility
(Council Regulations No 269/2014 and 2022/330)
(see paragraph 54)
5.
Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Ukraine – Freezing of funds of certain persons and entities having regard to the situation in Ukraine – Restriction of property rights and freedom of enterprise – Breach of principle of proportionality – None
(Art. 21(2)(b) and (c) TEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Arts 16 and 17; Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP, as amended by Decisions (CFSP) 2022/429 and (CFSP) 2022/1530, Art. 2(3) and (4); Council Regulations No 269/2014, 2022/427 and 2022/1529, Arts 4(1), 5(1) and 6(1))
(see paragraphs 94, 95, 98-105)
Operative part
The Court
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Mr Evgeny Borisovich Zubitskiy to bear his own costs and to pay those incurred by the Council of the European Union.
(
1
)	OJ C 294, 1.8.2022.