62022TJ0212_INF
Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 8 March 2023 –Prigozhina v Council
(Case T‑212/22) (
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)
(Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures taken in respect of actions undermining or threatening Ukraine – Freezing of funds – Restrictions on entry into the territory of the Member States – List of persons, entities and bodies subject to freezing of funds and economic resources – Inclusion of the applicant’s name on the list – Family of a person responsible for actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, or stability or security in Ukraine – Concept of ‘association’ – Error of assessment)
1.
Action for annulment – Jurisdiction of the EU judicature – Claim seeking that directions be issued to an institution – Not permissible
(Art. 263 TFEU)
(see paragraph 19)
2.
Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope – Restrictive measures taken having regard to the situation in Ukraine – Freezing of funds – 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 2014/145/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2022/265; Council Regulations No 269/2014 and 2022/260)
(see paragraphs 23-26, 33, 34)
3.
European Union – Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions – Restrictive measures taken having regard to the situation in Ukraine – Scope of the review – Proof that the measure is well founded – Factual basis – No specific, precise and consistent information
(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47; Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2022/265; Council Regulations No 269/2014 and 2022/260)
(see paragraphs 36-40, 47, 48, 56, 57, 61, 62, 72, 75, 81, 103, 106)
4.
European Union – Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions – Restrictive measures taken having regard to 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 – Breadth of the discretion of that competent authority
(Art. 275, second para., TFEU; Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2022/265; Council Regulations No 269/2014 and 2022/260)
(see paragraph 79)
5.
European Union – Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions – Restrictive measures against certain persons and entities in view of the situation in Ukraine – Freezing of funds of persons responsible for, supporting or implementing actions or policies which undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine, and of natural or legal persons, entities or bodies associated with them – Scope of the review – Assessment of the legality by reference to the information available at the time of adoption of the decision
(Art. 275, second para., TFEU; Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2022/265; Council Regulations No 269/2014 and 2022/260)
(see paragraph 80)
6.
Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures taken having regard to the situation in Ukraine – Criteria for adopting restrictive measures – Freezing of funds of persons responsible for, supporting or implementing actions or policies which undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine, and of natural or legal persons, entities or bodies associated with them – Common interests
(Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2022/265; Council Regulations No 269/2014 and 2022/260)
(see paragraphs 82-84, 93)
7.
Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures against certain persons and entities in view of the situation in Ukraine – Freezing of funds of persons responsible for, supporting or implementing actions or policies which undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine, and of natural or legal persons, entities or bodies associated with them – Nature of those measures – Purely protective measures – No criminal character
(Arts 21 and 29 TEU; Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2022/265; Council Regulations No 269/2014 and 2022/260)
(see paragraph 87)
8.
Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures taken having regard to the situation in Ukraine – Freezing of funds of persons responsible for, supporting or implementing actions or policies which undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine, and of natural or legal persons, entities or bodies associated with them – Application to natural persons on the sole ground of their family connection with persons subject to restrictive measures – Not permissible
(Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2022/265; Council Regulations No 269/2014 and 2022/260)
(see paragraphs 94, 95, 98, 105)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Annuls Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/265 of 23 February 2022 amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine (OJ 2022 L 42I, p. 98) and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/260 of 23 February 2022 implementing Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine (OJ 2022 L 42I, p. 3), in so far as the name of Violetta Prigozhina was included on the lists of persons and entities appearing in the Annex to Decision 2014/145/CFSP and in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 269/2014;
2.
Orders the Council of the European Union to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Ms Violetta Prigozhina.
(
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)	OJ C 237, 20.6.2022.