Case T-249/22: Judgment of the General Court of 5 March 2025 – Ponomarenko 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 – Restrictions on entry into the territory of the Member States – List of persons, entities and bodies subject to the freezing of funds and economic resources or subject to restrictions on admission to the territories of the Member States – Inclusion and maintenance of the applicant’s name on the list – Concept of supporting, materially or financially Russian decision-makers – Article 2(1)(d) of Decision 2014/145/CFSP – Concept of association – Article 2(1), in fine, of Decision 2014/145 – Right to a fair trial – Right to effective judicial protection – Rights of the defence – Duty to state reasons – Proportionality – Right to property – Equal treatment)
Date: 2025-03-05
Institutions: General Court
Subjects: EU restrictive measure, Russo-Ukrainian issue, Ukraine, economic sanctions, freezing of assets, international sanctions, natural person, removal, right to justice, rights of the defence








C_202502197EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/2197


22.4.2025






Judgment of the General Court of 5 March 2025 – Ponomarenko v Council


(Case T-249/22)
                (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 - Restrictions on entry into the territory of the Member States - List of persons, entities and bodies subject to the freezing of funds and economic resources or subject to restrictions on admission to the territories of the Member States - Inclusion and maintenance of the applicant’s name on the list - Concept of ‘supporting, materially or financially Russian decision-makers’ - Article 2(1)(d) of Decision 2014/145/CFSP - Concept of ‘association’ - Article 2(1), in fine, of Decision 2014/145 - Right to a fair trial - Right to effective judicial protection - Rights of the defence - Duty to state reasons - Proportionality - Right to property - Equal treatment)
(C/2025/2197)
Language of the case: German

Parties


Applicant: Alexander Ponomarenko (Moscow, Russia) (represented by: M. Komuczky, lawyer)

Defendant: Council of the European Union (represented by: T. Haas and A. Boggio-Tomasaz, acting as Agents)

Re:

By his action under Article 263 TFEU, the applicant seeks the annulment:






—


first, of Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/337 of 28 February 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 59, p. 1), and of Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/336 of 28 February 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 58, p. 1);










—


second, of 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);










—


third, of 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 75 I, 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 75 I, p. 1);










—


fourth, of 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 of 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 (OJ 2023 L 226, p. 3);










—


fifth, of 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 of 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 those acts include and maintain his name on the lists annexed to those acts.





Operative part of the judgment

The Court:






1.


Dismisses the action;










2.


Orders Mr Alexander Ponomarenko to pay the costs.






(1)  
            OJ C 244, 27.6.2022.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/2197/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)