Case T-193/23: Judgment of the General Court of 15 January 2025 – MegaFon v Council (Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures adopted in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine – Lists of persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures – Inclusion and maintenance of the applicant’s name on the lists – Right to be heard – Obligation to state reasons – Error of assessment – Proportionality – Freedom to conduct a business – Action for annulment)
Date: 2025-01-15
Institutions: General Court
Subjects: EU restrictive measure, Russia, Russo-Ukrainian issue, Ukraine, economic sanctions, international sanctions, legal person, principle of proportionality, rights of the defence, territorial dispute








C_202501099EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/1099


24.2.2025






Judgment of the General Court of 15 January 2025 – MegaFon v Council


(Case T-193/23)
                (1)

(Common foreign and security policy - Restrictive measures adopted in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine - Lists of persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures - Inclusion and maintenance of the applicant’s name on the lists - Right to be heard - Obligation to state reasons - Error of assessment - Proportionality - Freedom to conduct a business - Action for annulment)
(C/2025/1099)
Language of the case: French

Parties


Applicant: MegaFon OAO (Moscow, Russia) (represented by: V. Villante, D. Rovetta, M. Campa, M. Moretto, M. Pirovano and B. Bonafini, lawyers)

Defendant: Council of the European Union (represented by: E. Nadbath and V. Piessevaux, acting as Agents)

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

Re:

By its action under Article 263 TFEU, the applicant seeks annulment (i) of Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/434 of 25 February 2023 amending Decision 2014/512/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine (OJ 2023 L 59 I, p. 593) and of Council Regulation (EU) 2023/427 of 25 February 2023 amending Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine (OJ 2023 L 59 I, p. 6); (ii) of Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/1517 of 20 July 2023 amending Decision 2014/512/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine (OJ 2023 L 184, p. 40); and (iii) of Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/422 of 29 January 2024 amending Decision 2014/512/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine (OJ L 2024/422), in so far as all those acts include and maintain its name on the lists annexed to Council Decision 2014/512/CFSP of 31 July 2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine (OJ 2014 L 229, p. 13) and to Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 of 31 July 2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine (OJ 2014 L 229, p. 1).

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:






1.


Dismisses the action;










2.


Orders MegaFon OAO to bear its 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 189, 30.5.2023.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/1099/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)