Case C-656/25 P: Appeal brought on 3 October 2025 by Victor Petrov against the judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) delivered on 16 July 2025 in Case T-344/24, Petrov v Council
Date: 2025-10-03
Institutions: Court of Justice
Subjects: EU restrictive measure, Moldova, democracy, economic sanctions, evidence, fundamental rights, indemnification, international sanctions, natural person, principle of proportionality








C_202506298EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/6298


1.12.2025






Appeal brought on 3 October 2025 by Victor Petrov against the judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) delivered on 16 July 2025 in Case T-344/24, Petrov v Council


(Case C-656/25 P)

(C/2025/6298)
Language of the case: French

Parties


Appellant: Victor Petrov (represented by: T. Bontinck, avocat, L. Marchal, avocate, C. Zatschler SC)

Other party to the proceedings: Council of the European Union

Form of order sought

The applicant claims that the Court should:






—


annul the judgment of the General Court of 16 July in Case T-344/24;










—


give final judgment in the dispute pursuant to Article 61 of the Statute and annul Decision (CFSP) 2024/1242 (1) and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1243 (2) in so far as it concerns him;










—


refer the case back to the General Court so that it may examine the non-material harm suffered by the appellant ex aequo et bono and rule on the appellant’s request for compensation;










—


order the Council to pay the costs.





Grounds of appeal and main arguments

In support of the appeal, the appellant relies on four pleas in law:
First plea in law, alleging an error of law in the analysis of the probative value of the evidence and of the consequence of the fact that the majority of the evidence was rejected. The General Court, after having rejected the majority of the evidence as erroneous, inconclusive, or out of context, failed to examine whether that rejected evidence had nevertheless had a dominant or decisive influence on the decision-makers in the Council during their exercise of their discretion in adopting the contested acts.
Second plea in law, alleging errors of law and of distortion of facts in the assessment of the third plea in law at first instance. That plea contains several parts:






—


first, the General Court allowed the Council to rely on mere press articles, even though more reliable evidence could have been obtained, in particular through cooperation with Moldovan authorities, unlike in other sanctions regimes.










—


second, the General Court endorsed a practice in accordance with which the representatives of the Member States in the Council did not have all of the relevant information in a suitable form.










—


third, the General Court distorted the four items of evidence which it accepted.










—


fourth, the General Court committed errors of law in its assessment of the existence of a sufficient body of evidence.










—


fifth, it wrongly held that in the absence of disinformation or incitement to violence, the appellant could nevertheless be considered as constituting a threat to democracy in Moldova.




Third plea in law, alleging errors of law concerning fundamental freedoms and review of proportionality. The General Court failed to have regard to Articles 11 and 12 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in upholding an interpretation of criterion (i) which permits the Council to restrict the freedom of expression and of association of political figures in the exercise of its CFSP powers. It was also wrong to reject the plea of illegality raised in the first instance against criterion (i).
Fourth plea in law, alleging an error of law in the assessment of reputational damage. The General Court required specific evidence of reputational damage, although such evidence does not necessarily result from the imposition of a restrictive measure against an individual (res ipsa loquitur).


(1)  Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/1242 of 26 April 2024 amending Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 concerning restrictive measures in view of actions destabilising the Republic of Moldova (OJ L, 2024/1242).

(2)  Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1243 of 26 April 2024 implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/888 concerning restrictive measures in view of actions destabilising the Republic of Moldova (OJ L, 2024/1243).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/6298/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)