Case T-326/22: Judgment of the General Court of 11 December 2024 – Konov v Council (Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures taken 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 – Inclusion and maintenance of the applicant’s name on the list – Concept of leading businessperson involved in a sector providing a substantial source of revenue to the Government of the Russian Federation – Concept of leading businessperson involved in economic sectors providing a substantial source of revenue to the Government of the Russian Federation – Article 2(1)(g) of Decision 2014/145/CFSP – Article 3(1)(g) of Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 – Right to effective judicial protection – Obligation to state reasons – Error of assessment – Proportionality – Equal treatment – Right to property – Freedom to conduct a business – Right to respect for private life – Legal certainty – Plea of illegality – Non-contractual liability)
Date: 2024-12-11
Institutions: General Court
Subjects: EU restrictive measure, Russo-Ukrainian issue, economic sanctions, entrepreneur, freezing of assets, international sanctions, natural person, protection of privacy, right to an effective remedy, right to property








C_202500715EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/715


10.2.2025






Judgment of the General Court of 11 December 2024 – Konov v Council


(Case T-326/22)
                (1)

(Common foreign and security policy - Restrictive measures taken 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 - Inclusion and maintenance of the applicant’s name on the list - Concept of ‘leading businessperson involved in a sector providing a substantial source of revenue to the Government of the Russian Federation’ - Concept of ‘leading businessperson involved in economic sectors providing a substantial source of revenue to the Government of the Russian Federation’ - Article 2(1)(g) of Decision 2014/145/CFSP - Article 3(1)(g) of Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 - Right to effective judicial protection - Obligation to state reasons - Error of assessment - Proportionality - Equal treatment - Right to property - Freedom to conduct a business - Right to respect for private life - Legal certainty - Plea of illegality - Non-contractual liability)
(C/2025/715)
Language of the case: French

Parties


Applicant: Dmitry Konov (Moscow, Russia) (represented by: F. Bélot, lawyer)

Defendant: Council of the European Union (represented by: L. Vétillard and S. Van Overmeire, acting as Agents, and by B. Maingain and S. Remy, lawyers)

Intervener in support of the defendant: European Commission (represented by: C. Giolito and L. Puccio, acting as Agents)

Re:

By his action, the applicant claims that the Court should:






—


first, on the basis of Article 263 TFEU, annul:






—


(i) Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/397 of 9 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 80, p. 31), and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/396 of 9 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 80, 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 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 (JO 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 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 (JO 2023 L 75I, p. 1);










—


(iv) Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/1767 of 13 September 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 226, p. 104), and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1765 of 13 September 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 (JO 2023 L 226, p. 3);










—


(v) Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/847 of 12 March 2024 amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine (OJ L 2024/847), and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/849 of 12 March 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 (OJ L 2024/849), in so far as all of the acts referred to in the present point concern the applicant;














—


second, on the basis of Article 268 TFEU, order the Council of the European Union to pay the applicant compensation for the non-material damage which he claims to have suffered as a result of the adoption of the contested acts.





Operative part of the judgment

The Court:






1.


Annuls 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, 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, 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 and 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, in so far as the name of Mr Dmitry Konov was maintained on the list of persons, entities and bodies subject to those restrictive measures;










2.


Dismisses the action as to the remainder;










3.


Orders each party to bear their own costs.






(1)  
            OJ C 276, 18.7.2022.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/715/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)