Case T-605/24: Action brought on 25 November 2024 – Fridman v Council
Date: 2024-11-25
Institutions: General Court
Subjects: EU restrictive measure, Russia, Russo-Ukrainian issue, economic sanctions, entrepreneur, financial occupation, insurance company, international sanctions, natural person, subsidiary








C_202500579EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/579


3.2.2025






Action brought on 25 November 2024 – Fridman v Council


(Case T-605/24)

(C/2025/579)
Language of the case: French

Parties


Applicant: Mikhail Fridman (London, United Kingdom) (represented by: T. Marembert and A. Bass, lawyers)

Defendant: Council of the European Union

Form of order sought

The applicant claims that the court should:






—


annul Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2456 of 12 September 2024 amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, in so far as it concerns the applicant;










—


annul Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2455 of 12 September 2024 implementing Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, in so far as it concerns the applicant;










—


order the Council to pay the costs.





Pleas in law and main arguments

In support of the action, the applicant relies on ten pleas in law.






1.


First plea in law, alleging breach of the duty to review by the taking into account of a substantial change in the applicant’s situation.










2.


Second plea in law, alleging breach of essential procedural requirements and breach of the duty of periodic review.










3.


Third plea in law, alleging an error of assessment as regards the Council’s claim that ‘the insurance company AlfaStrakhovanie, subsidiary of Alfa Group Consortium, provides insurance to the vehicles of the Federal Service of the National Guard of the Russian Federation (Rosgvardia), whose units operate in the occupied regions of Ukraine under Russian control’.










4.


Fourth plea in law, alleging an error of assessment as regards the Council’s claim that ‘X5 Retail Group, another subsidiary of Alfa Group Consortium, cooperates with JSC Voentorg’.










5.


Fifth plea in law, alleging an error of assessment as regards the Council’s claim that ‘Fridman and his business partner Petr Aven have been engaged in the Kremlin’s efforts to lift the Western sanctions issued to counter Russian aggressive policy against Ukraine’.










6.


Sixth plea in law, alleging an error of assessment as regards the Council’s claims that ‘[the applicant] has been referred to as a top Russian financier and enabler of Putin’s inner circle’, that ‘[the applicant] managed to acquire state assets through government connections’, that ‘he exchanged favours with the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, in return for political support to his business and financial gains’, and that ‘Vladimir Putin rewarded Alfa Group Consortium’s loyalty to the Russian authorities by providing political help for Alfa Group Consortium’s foreign investment plans’.










7.


Seventh plea in law, alleging an error of assessment as regards the Council’s claim that ‘insurance company AlfaStrakhovanie … provides insurance to the bodyguard vehicles of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin’.










8.


Eighth plea in law, alleging an error of assessment as regards the Council’s claim regarding the company A1.










9.


Ninth plea in law, alleging an error of assessment relating to the criterion (g) (businessperson involved in economic sectors providing a substantial source of income to the Government of the Russian Federation).










10.


Tenth plea in law, alleging an error of assessment relating to criterion (g) (influential businessperson).






ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/579/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)