Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 18 September 2014 — Central Bank of Iran v Council

(Case T‑262/12)

Common foreign and security policy — Restrictive measures adopted against Iran with the aim of preventing nuclear proliferation — Freezing of funds — Action for annulment — Lis pendens — Obligation to state reasons — Rights of the defence

1.                     Actions for annulment — Admissibility — Objection of lis pendens — Mandatory — Examination by the EU judicature of its own motion (Art. 263 TFEU) (see para. 38)

2.                     Judicial proceedings — Objection of lis pendens — Same parties, subject-matter and submissions in two actions — Inadmissibility of the second action (see para. 39)

3.                     Actions for annulment — Time-limits — Point from which time starts to run — Measure entailing restrictive measures against a person or body — Date of notification of the measure (Art. 263, sixth para., TFEU) (see paras 47, 48)

4.                     Fundamental rights — Scope ratione personae — Legal persons constituting emanations of non-member States — Included — Responsibility of the non-member State for compliance with fundamental rights in its own territory — Irrelevant (Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union) (see paras 67, 71, 72)

5.                     Acts of the institutions — Statement of reasons — Obligation — Scope — Restrictive measures against Iran — Freezing of funds of persons, entities or bodies engaged in or supporting nuclear proliferation — Minimum requirements (Art. 296 TFEU; Council Regulation No 267/2012, Arts 23(2)(b), and 46(3)) (see paras 76-81, 86, 91)

Re:

APPLICATION for, in essence, annulment of (i) Council Decision 2012/35/CFSP of 23 January 2012 amending Decision 2010/413/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Iran (OJ 2012 L 19, p. 22) and Council Decision 2012/635/CFSP of 15 October 2012 amending Decision 2010/413/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Iran (OJ 2012 L 282, p. 58), in so far as they listed or maintained the listing, after review, of the applicant in Annex II to Council Decision 2010/413/CFSP of 26 July 2010 concerning restrictive measures against Iran and repealing Common Position 2007/140/CFSP (OJ 2010 L 195, p. 39) and (ii) Council Regulation (EU) No 267/2012 of 23 March 2012 concerning the adoption of restrictive measures against Iran and repealing Regulation (EU) No 961/2010 (OJ 2012 L 88, p. 1), and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 945/2012 of 15 October 2012 implementing Regulation No 267/2012 (OJ 2012 L 282, p. 16), in so far as they listed or maintained the listing, after review, of the applicant in Annex IX to Regulation No 267/2012.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls Council Regulation (EU) No 267/2012 of 23 March 2012 concerning restrictive measures against Iran and repealing Regulation (EU) No 961/2010 (OJ 2012 L 88, p. 1), in so far as it listed Central Bank of Iran in Annex IX thereto;

2. Dismisses the action as to the remainder;

3. Orders the Council of the European Union to bear one half of its own costs and to pay one half of the costs of Central Bank of Iran;

4. Orders Central Bank of Iran to bear one half of its own costs and to pay one half of the costs of the Council.