62018TJ0553_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 14 July 2021 –Rodríguez Gómez v Council
(Case T‑553/18)
(Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Venezuela – Freezing of funds – Lists of persons, entities and bodies subject to the freezing of funds and economic resources – Inclusion of the applicant’s name on the lists – Retention of the applicant’s name on the lists – Error of assessment – Right to property)
1.
Action for annulment – Natural or legal persons – Measures of direct and individual concern to them – Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Venezuela – Regulation reviewing the list of persons, groups or entities concerned without repealing the earlier regulation – Action brought by a person who was not mentioned in that regulation – Admissibility
(Art. 263 TFEU; Council Decision (CFSP) 2018/1656; Council Regulation 2018/1653)
(see paras 33-35)
2.
European Union – Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions – Regulation introducing restrictive measures against certain persons and entities in view of the situation in Venezuela – 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 grounds held against the persons or entities concerned are well founded
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47; Council Decision (CFSP) 2017/2074, as amended by Decisions (CFSP) 2018/901 and (CFSP) 2018/1656, Annex I; Council Regulations No 2017/2063, Annex IV, No 2018/899 and No 2018/1653)
(see paras 43-46, 48)
3.
European Union – Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions – Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Venezuela – Scope of the review – Inclusion of persons involved in undermining democracy and the rule of law – Publicly available documents – Probative value – Principle of the unfettered assessment of the evidence
(Council Decision (CFSP) 2017/2074, as amended by Decisions (CFSP) 2018/901 and (CFSP) 2018/1656, Annex I; Council Regulations No 2017/2063, Annex IV, No 2018/899 and No 2018/1653)
(see para. 47)
4.
Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Venezuela – Freezing of funds of persons responsible for serious violations of human rights or undermining the rule of law – Criteria – Roles conferring responsibility for undermining democracy or the rule of law – Error of assessment – None
(Council Decision (CFSP) 2017/2074, as amended by Decisions (CFSP) 2018/901 and (CFSP) 2018/1656, Arts 6(1) and 7(1), and Annex I; Council Regulations No 2017/2063, Art. 8(3) and Annex IV, No 2018/899 and No 2018/1653)
(see paras 50, 53-58)
5.
Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Venezuela – Freezing of funds of persons responsible for serious violations of human rights or undermining the rule of law – Restriction of the right to property – Breach of principle of proportionality – None
(Art. 21(2)(b) TEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Arts 17(1) and 52(1); Council Decision (CFSP) 2017/2074, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2018/901, Art. 7(4) and Annex I; Council Regulations No 2017/2063, Arts 8 and 9(1), and Annex IV, and No 2018/899)
(see paras 65-71, 73-78, 81, 83)
Re:
Application based on Article 263 TFEU and seeking annulment, first, of Council Decision (CFSP) 2018/901 of 25 June 2018 amending Decision (CFSP) 2017/2074 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Venezuela (OJ 2018 L 160 I, p. 12) and of Council Decision (CFSP) 2018/1656 of 6 November 2018 amending Decision (CFSP) 2017/2074 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Venezuela (OJ 2018 L 276, p. 10) and, second, of Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/899 of 25 June 2018 implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2063 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Venezuela (OJ 2018 L 160 I, p. 5), and of Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1653 of 6 November 2018 implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2063 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Venezuela (OJ 2018 L 276, p. 1), in so far as those acts concern the applicant.
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Ms Delcy Eloina Rodríguez Gómez to pay the costs.