Judgment of the General Court (Fourth Chamber) of 16 May 2013 — Iran Transfo v Council

(Case T‑392/11)

Common foreign and security policy — Restrictive measures against Iran with the aim of preventing nuclear proliferation — Freezing of funds — Obligation to state reasons — Manifest error of assessment

1.                     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 — Decision falling within a context known to the person concerned, enabling him to understand the scope of the measure taken in respect of him — Admissibility of a summary statement of reasons (Art. 296 TFEU; Council Decision 2010/413/CFSP, Art. 24(3)) (see paras 23, 25-27)

2.                     European Union — Common foreign and security policy — Restrictive measures against Iran — Freezing of funds of persons, entities or bodies engaged in or supporting nuclear proliferation — Judicial review of legality — Scope — Decision based on information supplied by Member States and not communicable to the EU judicature — Not permissible (Art. 263 TFEU; Council Decisions 2010/413/CFSP and 2011/299/CFSP) (see paras 34, 40, 41, 50)

3.                     Actions for annulment — Contested act — Assessment of legality in the light of the information available at the time of adoption of the measure (Art. 263 TFEU) (see para. 48)

4.                     European Union — Common foreign and security policy — Restrictive measures against Iran — Freezing of funds of persons, entities or bodies engaged in or supporting nuclear proliferation — Assessment of the legality by reference to the information available at the time of adoption of the decision (Council Decisions 2010/413/CFSP and 2011/299/CFSP) (see paras 48-53)

5.                     Actions for annulment — Judgment annulling a measure — Effects — Annulment of a fund-freezing decision not affecting a regulation applying an identical measure — Risk of legal certainty being seriously affected — Maintenance of the effects of the contested decision during a maximum period as from delivery (Art. 264, second para., TFEU) (see paras 54-56)

6.                     Judicial proceedings — Measures of organisation of procedure — Request for production of documents — Discretion of the General Court (Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 64) (see para. 59)

Re:

APPLICATION for annulment of Council Decision 2011/299/CFSP of 23 May 2011 amending Decision 2010/413/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Iran (OJ 2011 L 136, p. 65), in so far as that decision concerns the applicant.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls Council Decision 2011/299/CFSP of 23 May 2011 amending Decision 2010/413/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Iran, in so far as it concerns Iran Transfo;

2. Orders the effects of Decision 2011/299, in so far as it concerns Iran Transfo, to be maintained for a period which may not exceed two months and ten days from the date of delivery of this judgment;

3. Orders the Council of the European Union to bear its own costs and to pay the costs incurred by Iran Transfo;

4. Orders the European Commission to bear its own costs.