Case T-313/22: Judgment of the General Court of 20 December 2023 — Abramovich v Council of the European Union (Common foreign and security policy — Restrictive measures 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 — Restriction on entry into the territory of the Member States — List of persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictions on entry into the territories of the Member States — Inclusion and maintenance of the applicant’s name on the lists — Definition of ‘leading businesspersons’ — Article 2(1)(g) of Decision 2014/145/CFSP — Obligation to state reasons — Rights of the defence — Error of assessment — Proportionality — Equal treatment — Right to property — Freedom to conduct a business — Right to private life — Application of restriction on entry to a national of a Member State — Free movement of Union citizens)
Date: 2023-12-20
Institutions: General Court
Subjects: EU restrictive measure, Russo-Ukrainian issue, economic sanctions, equal treatment, free movement of persons, freezing of assets, international sanctions, natural person, principle of proportionality, protection of privacy








C_202401692EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
Series C













C/2024/1692


4.3.2024





Judgment of the General Court of 20 December 2023 — Abramovich v Council of the European Union
(Case T-313/22) (1)

(Common foreign and security policy - Restrictive measures 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 - Restriction on entry into the territory of the Member States - List of persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictions on entry into the territories of the Member States - Inclusion and maintenance of the applicant’s name on the lists - Definition of ‘leading businesspersons’ - Article 2(1)(g) of Decision 2014/145/CFSP - Obligation to state reasons - Rights of the defence - Error of assessment - Proportionality - Equal treatment - Right to property - Freedom to conduct a business - Right to private life - Application of restriction on entry to a national of a Member State - Free movement of Union citizens)
(C/2024/1692)
Language of the case: French

Parties


Applicant: Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich (Nemchinovo, Russia) (represented by: T. Bontinck, A. Guillerme, S. Bonifassi, M. Brésart, L. Burguin, J. Goffin, J. Bastien, R. Lööf, lawyers, and C. Zatschler, Senior Counsel)

Defendant: Council of the European Union (represented by: M. Bishop and M.-C. Cadilhac, acting as Agents)

Intervener in support of the defendant: European Commission (represented by J.-F. Brakeland, C. Giolito, L. Puccio and M. Carpus Carcea, acting as Agents)

Re:
By his action, the applicant seeks, first, under Article 263 TFEU, annulment of (i) Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/429 of 15 March 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 87I, p. 44), and of Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/427 of 15 March 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 87I, p. 1); (ii) Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/1530 of 14 September 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 239, p. 149), and of Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1529 of 14 September 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 239, p. 1); (iii) Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/572 of 13 March 2023 amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine (OJ 2023 L 75I, p. 134), and of Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/571 of 13 March 2023 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 2023 L 75I, p. 1); and (iv) Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/811 of 13 April 2023 amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine (OJ 2023 L 101, p. 67), and of Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/806 of 13 April 2023 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 2023 L 101, p. 1), in so far as those acts concern the applicant and, second, under Article 268 TFEU, compensation in respect of the harm he claims to have suffered as a result of the adoption of the initial acts.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:






1.


Dismisses the action;










2.


Orders Mr Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich to bear his own costs and to pay those incurred by the Council of the European Union;










3.


Orders the European Commission to bear its own costs.






(1)  
            OJ C 266, 11.7.2022.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/1692/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)