62024TJ0344_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 16 July 2025 –Petrov v Council
(Case T‑344/24)
(Common Foreign and Security Policy – Restrictive measures taken in view of actions destabilising Moldova – Freezing of funds – Restriction on entry into the territories of the Member States – Lists of persons, entities and bodies subject to the freezing of funds and economic resources or to restrictions on entry into the territories of the Member States – Maintenance of the applicant’s name on the lists – Undermining of the democratic political process and destabilising of the constitutional order – Article 1(1)(a)(i) and Article 2(1)(a)(i) of Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 – Article 2(3)(a)(i) of Regulation (EU) 2023/888 – Association with listed persons – Article 1(1)(b) and Article 2(1)(b) of Decision 2023/891 – Article 2(3)(b) of Regulation 2023/888 – Obligation to state reasons – Plea of illegality – Error of assessment – Freedom to conduct a business – Right to property – Freedom of association – Freedom of expression – Non-contractual liability)
1.
European Union – Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions – Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Moldova – Prohibition on entry and transit and freezing of funds of persons responsible for actions which undermine or threaten the sovereignty and independence of Moldova – Scope of the review – Measures capable of being supported by some grounds and not others – Validity of those measures
(Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/891, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2024/1242; Council Regulations 2023/888 and 2024/1243)
(see paragraph 20)
2.
Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope – Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Moldova – Prohibition on entry and transit and freezing of funds of persons responsible for actions which undermine or threaten the sovereignty and independence of Moldova – Obligation to identify in the statement of reasons the specific and concrete elements justifying the said measure – 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 – Whether summary statement of reasons sufficient
(Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/891, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2024/1242, Arts 1(1)(a)(i) and (b) and 2(1)(a)(i) and (b); Council Regulations 2023/888, Art. 2(3)(a)(i) and (b) and 2024/1243)
(see paragraphs 27-34)
3.
Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Moldova – Decision to freeze funds – Judicial review of legality – Scope – Provision of general scope concerning an individual restrictive measure – Inclusion by way of a plea of illegality
(Art. 29 TEU; Arts 275 and 277 TFEU; Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/891, Arts 1(1)(a)(i) and 2(1)(a)(i); Council Regulation (EU) 2023/888, Art. 2(3)(a)(i))
(see paragraphs 39-42)
4.
Acts of the institutions – Choice of legal basis – Acts concerning the adoption of restrictive measures in view of the situation in Moldova –Prohibition on entry and transit and freezing of funds of persons facilitating the obstruction or undermining of the democratic political process – Article 29 TEU and Article 215, paragraph 2, TFEU – Whether permissible
(Art. 3(5), 21(2)(b), 23, 24 and 29 TEU; Art 215(2) TFEU; Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/891, Arts 1(1)(a)(i) and 2(1)(a)(i); Council Regulation (EU) 2023/888, Art. 2(3)(a)(i))
(see paragraphs 47-56)
5.
Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Moldova – Legal basis – Restrictive measures provided for in a decision and a regulation adopted, respectively, on the basis of Article 29 TEU and Article 215 TFEU – Power of the Council to adopt restrictive measures designed to support the rule of law in an EU candidate country
(Arts 21(2)(b) and 29 TEU; Art 215(2) TFEU; Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/891, Arts 1(1)(a)(i) and 2(1)(a)(i); Council Regulation (EU) 2023/888, Art. 2(3)(a)(i))
(see paragraph 59)
6.
Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Moldova – Criteria for adopting restrictive measures –Person, entity or body facilitating the obstruction or undermining of the democratic political process – Compliance with the principle of legal certainty requiring clarity, precision and foreseeability of the effects of legal rules – Precautionary nature of the measures at issue
(Art. 275, second para., TFEU; Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/891, Arts 1(1)(a)(i) and 2(1)(a)(i); Council Regulation (EU) 2023/888, Art. 2(3)(a)(i))
(see paragraphs 73-79)
7.
European Union – Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions – Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Moldova – Scope of the review – Inclusion of the applicant on the list annexed to the contested decision on account of his responsibility for actions or policies undermining or threatening the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Moldova – Publicly available documents – Probative value – Principle of the unfettered evaluation of evidence
(Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/891, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2024/1242; Council Regulations (EU) 2023/888 and 2024/1243)
(see paragraphs 93-102, 109-111, 116-122, 184)
8.
European Union – Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions – Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Moldova – 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 body of evidence – Error of assessment – None
(Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/891, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2024/1242; Council Regulations (EU) 2023/888 and 2024/1243)
(see paragraphs 123-125, 130, 138-141, 147, 152-157, 162-166, 173, 176)
9.
Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures taken in view of the situation in Moldova – Prohibition on entry and transit and freezing of funds of persons facilitating the obstruction or undermining of the democratic political process – Restriction of the right to property, the freedom to conduct a business, the freedom of expression and the freedom of association – Whether permissible – Conditions – Restriction laid down by law – Respect for the essence of the right invoked – Pursuit of a general interest recognised as such by the European Union – Observance of the principle of proportionality – Conditions met
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Arts 11, 12, 16 and 17; Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/891, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2024/1242, Arts 1(1)(a)(i), and 2(1)(a)(i) and (3) and (4); Council Regulations (EU) 2023/888, Arts 3(1), 4(2), 5(1) and 6(1) and 2024/1243)
(see paragraphs 191-200)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Dismisses the action;
2.
Orders Mr Victor Petrov to pay the costs.