Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 18 September 2015 — Iran Liquefied Natural Gas v Council

(Case T‑5/13)

Common foreign and security policy — Restrictive measures against Iran with the aim of preventing nuclear proliferation — Freezing of funds — Action for annulment — Infra-State body — Locus standi — Interest in bringing proceedings — Admissibility — Error of assessment — Adjustment of the temporal effects of an annulment

1.                     Actions for annulment — Admissibility criteria — Interest in bringing proceedings — Natural or legal persons — Action brought by an emanation of a non-member State — Action directed against a measure instituting restrictive measures in its regard — Admissibility (Art. 29 TEU; Arts 263, fourth para., TFEU and 275, second para., TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47) (see paras 44-48)

2.                     European Union — Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions — Restrictive measures against Iran — Measures in the context of the fight against nuclear proliferation — Ambit of the review (Art. 29 TEU; Art. 275, second para., TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47; Council Decision 2012/635/CFSP; Council Regulation No 945/2012) (see paras 54, 55)

3.                     European Union — Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions — Restrictive measures against Iran — Measures in the context of the fight against nuclear proliferation — Ambit of the review — Assessment of the legality by reference to the information available at the time of adoption of the decision (Council Decision 2012/635/CFSP; Council Regulation No 945/2012) (see para. 61)

4.                     Actions for annulment — Judgment annulling a measure — Effects — Partial annulment of a regulation and a decision on the adoption of restrictive measures against Iran — Such annulment taking effect as from the expiry of the period for lodging an appeal or from the dismissal of the appeal (Arts 264, second para., TFEU and 266 TFEU; Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 56, first para.; Council Decision 2012/635/CFSP; Council Regulation No 945/2012) (see paras 64-69, op. part 3)

Re:

APPLICATION for annulment of 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) and also of Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 945/2012 of 15 October 2012 implementing Regulation (EU) No 267/2012 concerning restrictive measures against Iran (OJ 2012 L 282, p. 16), in so far as those acts concern the applicant.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls Council Decision 2012/635/CFSP of 15 October 2012 amending Decision 2010/413/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Iran, in so far as it listed Iran Liquefied Natural Gas Co. 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;

2. Annuls Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 945/2012 of 15 October 2012 implementing Regulation (EU) No 267/2012 concerning restrictive measures against Iran, in so far as it listed Iran Liquefied Natural Gas in Annex IX to Council Regulation (EU) No 267/2012 of 23 March 2012 concerning restrictive measures against Iran and repealing Regulation (EU) No 961/2010;

3. Orders the effects of Decision 2012/635 and Implementing Regulation No 945/2012 to be maintained as regards Iran Liquefied Natural Gas until the date of expiry of the period for bringing an appeal stated in the first paragraph of Article 56 of the Statute of the Court of Justice of the European Union or, if an appeal has been brought within that period, until the dismissal of the appeal;

4. Orders the Council of the European Union to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Iran Liquefied Natural Gas in the context of the present proceedings and of the proceedings relating to the application for interim measures.