Case T-480/23: Judgment of the General Court of 23 October 2024 – Plahotniuc v Council (Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures taken in view of actions destabilising Moldova – Freezing of funds – Restrictions on entry into the territories of the Member States – Lists of persons, entities and bodies subject to the freezing of funds and to restrictions on entry into the territories of the Member States – Inclusion of the applicant’s name on the lists – Criminal investigations and prosecutions initiated by the authorities of a third State – Obligation to verify that that decision observes the rights of the defence and the right to effective judicial protection – Obligation to state reasons)
Date: 2024-10-23
Institutions: General Court
Subjects: EU restrictive measure, Moldova, criminal proceedings, economic sanctions, freezing of assets, international sanctions, natural person, removal, right to an effective remedy








C_202407336EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2024/7336


16.12.2024






Judgment of the General Court of 23 October 2024 – Plahotniuc v Council


(Case T-480/23)
                (1)

(Common foreign and security policy - Restrictive measures taken in view of actions destabilising Moldova - Freezing of funds - Restrictions on entry into the territories of the Member States - Lists of persons, entities and bodies subject to the freezing of funds and to restrictions on entry into the territories of the Member States - Inclusion of the applicant’s name on the lists - Criminal investigations and prosecutions initiated by the authorities of a third State - Obligation to verify that that decision observes the rights of the defence and the right to effective judicial protection - Obligation to state reasons)
(C/2024/7336)
Language of the case: English

Parties


Applicant: Vladimir Gheorghe Plahotniuc (Chişinău, Moldova) (represented by: J. Pobjoy, Barrister-at-Law)

Defendant: Council of the European Union (represented by: A. Boggio-Tomasaz and P. Mahnič, acting as Agents, and by E. Raoult, lawyer)

Re:

By his action under Article 263 TFEU, the applicant seeks annulment of Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/1047 of 30 May 2023 amending Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 concerning restrictive measures in view of actions destabilising the Republic of Moldova (OJ 2023 L 140 I, p. 9) and of Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1045 of 30 May 2023 implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/888 concerning restrictive measures in view of actions destabilising the Republic of Moldova (OJ 2023 L 140 I, p. 1), in so far as those acts concern the applicant.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:






1.


Annuls Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/1047 of 30 May 2023 amending Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 concerning restrictive measures in view of actions destabilising the Republic of Moldova and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1045 of 30 May 2023 implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/888 concerning restrictive measures in view of actions destabilising the Republic of Moldova, in so far as they concern Mr Vladimir Gheorghe Plahotniuc;










2.


Orders the Council of the European Union to pay the costs.






(1)  
            OJ C 338, 25.9.2023.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/7336/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)