Judgment of the General Court of 11 June 2014 — Syria International Islamic Bank v Council
(Case T-293/12) 1
(Common foreign and security policy — Restrictive measures against Syria — Freezing of funds — Manifest error of assessment — Burden of proof — Claim for damages)
Language of the case: French
Parties
Applicant: Syria International Islamic Bank PJSC (Damascus, Syria) (represented by: G. Laguesse and J.-P. Buyle, lawyers)
Defendant: Council of the European Union (represented by: B. Driessen and D. Gicheva, acting as Agents)
Re:
Firstly, application for annulment of Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 544/2012 of 25 June 2012 implementing Article 32(1) of Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria (OJ 2012 L 165, p. 20, corrigendum OJ 2012 L 173, p. 27) and of Council Implementing Decision 2012/335/CFSP of 25 June 2012 implementing Decision 2011/782/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria (OJ 2012 L 165, p. 80), in so far as they concern the applicant and, secondly, a claim for damages.
Operative part of the judgment
The Court:
Annuls Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 544/2012 of 25 June 2012 implementing Article 32(1) of Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria in so far as it relates to Syria International Islamic Bank PJSC;
Annuls Council Implementing Decision 2012/335/CFSP of 25 June 2012 implementing Decision 2011/782/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria in so far as it relates to Syria International Islamic Bank;
Dismisses the claim for damages as inadmissible;
Orders Syria International Islamic Bank to bear one quarter of its own costs;
Orders the Council of the European Union to bear its own costs and to pay three quarters of those incurred by Syria International Islamic Bank.
________________________1 OJ C 258, 25.8.2012.