CELEX: 62020TA0249
Language: en
Date: 2022-03-16 00:00:00
Title: Case T-249/20: Judgment of the General Court of 16 March 2022 — Sabra v Council (Common foreign and security policy — Restrictive measures adopted against Syria — Freezing of funds — Errors of assessment — Criterion of a leading businessperson operating in Syria — Presumption of a link with the Syrian regime — Rebuttal of the presumption)

16.5.2022   
            
            
               EN
            
            
               Official Journal of the European Union
            
            
               C 198/33
            
         
      Judgment of the General Court of 16 March 2022 — Sabra v Council
      (Case T-249/20) (1)
      
      (Common foreign and security policy - Restrictive measures adopted against Syria - Freezing of funds - Errors of assessment - Criterion of a leading businessperson operating in Syria - Presumption of a link with the Syrian regime - Rebuttal of the presumption)
      (2022/C 198/45)
      Language of the case: English
      
         Parties
      
      
         Applicant: Abdelkader Sabra (Beirut, Lebanon) (represented by: M. Lester QC, and A. Bradshaw, Solicitor)
      
         Defendant: Council of the European Union (represented by: T. Haas and V. Piessevaux, acting as Agents)
      
         Re:
      
      Action under Article 263 TFEU for the annulment of Council Implementing Decision (CFSP) 2020/212 of 17 February 2020 implementing Decision 2013/255/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria (OJ 2020 L 43 I, p. 6), Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/211 of 17 February 2020 implementing Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria (OJ 2020 L 43 I, p. 1), Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/719 of 28 May 2020 amending Decision 2013/255/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria (OJ 2020 L 168, p. 66), and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/716 of 28 May 2020 implementing Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria (OJ 2020 L 168, p. 1), in so far as those measures concern the applicant.
      
         Operative part of the judgment
      
      The Court:
      
                  1.
               
               
                  Annuls Council Implementing Decision (CFSP) 2020/212 of 17 February 2020 implementing Decision 2013/255/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria, Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/211 of 17 February 2020 implementing Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria, Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/719 of 28 May 2020 amending Decision 2013/255/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria, and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/716 of 28 May 2020 implementing Regulation No 36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria, in so far as those measures concern Mr Abdelkader Sabra;
               
            
                  2.
               
               
                  Orders the Council of the European Union to pay the costs.
               
            
         (1)  OJ C 215, 29.6.2020.