62021TJ0239_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 28 June 2023 –Dana Astra v Council
(Case T‑239/21) (
1
)
(Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures adopted in view of the situation in Belarus – Freezing of funds – Maintaining of the applicant’s name on the lists of persons, entities and bodies concerned – Error of assessment)
1.
European Union – Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions – Restrictive measures against Belarus – Freezing of funds of certain persons and entities having regard to the situation in Belarus – Scope of the review – 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
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47; Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP, as amended by Decisions (CFSP) 2021/353 and (CFSP) 2022/307, Annex; Council Regulations No 765/2006, 2021/339 and 2022/300, Annex)
(see paragraphs 29-33)
2.
European Union – Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions – Restrictive measures against Belarus – Scope of the review –Natural or legal persons, entities or bodies benefiting from or supporting the Lukashenko regime – Publicly available documents showing support for the Belarusian regime – Probative value – Principle of the unfettered evaluation of evidence – Inculpatory and exculpatory evidence communicated
(Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP, as amended by Decisions (CFSP) 2021/353 and (CFSP) 2022/307, Annex; Council Regulations No 765/2006, 2021/339 and 2022/300, Annex)
(see paragraphs 34, 35, 61)
3.
Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures against Belarus – Criteria for adopting restrictive measures –– Natural or legal persons, entities or bodies benefiting from or supporting the Lukashenko regime – Definition – Error of assessment – None
(Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP, as amended by Decisions (CFSP) 2021/353 and (CFSP) 2022/307, Annex; Council Regulations No 765/2006, 2021/339 and 2022/300, Annex)
(see paragraphs 43, 45-47, 50, 54-56, 59, 64, 68, 79)
4.
European Union – Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions – Restrictive measures against Belarus – Freezing of funds of certain persons and entities having regard to the situation in Belarus – Scope of the review – Assessment of the legality by reference to the information available at the time of adoption of the decision
(Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP, as amended by Decisions (CFSP) 2021/353 and (CFSP) 2022/307, Annex; Council Regulations No 765/2006, 2021/339 and 2022/300, Annex)
(see paragraph 78)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Dana Astra IOOO to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the Council of the European Union.
(
1
)	OJ C 242, 21.6.2021.