Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 15 September 2015 —
Iralco v Council

(Case T‑158/13)

Common foreign and security policy — Restrictive measures adopted against Iran with the aim of preventing nuclear proliferation — Freezing of funds — Error of assessment

1.                     Actions for annulment — Time-limits — Point from which time starts to run — Measure entailing restrictive measures against a person or body — Measure published and notified to the addressees — Address of the person concerned known at the time the measure was adopted — Time-limit starting to run as from the date of the individual communication (Arts 263, sixth para., TFEU and 275, second para., TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 102(1); Council Decision 2010/413/CFSP, Art. 24(3); Council Regulation N 267/2012, Art. 46(3)) (see paras 28-36)

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. 275, second para., TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union; Art. 47; Council Decision 2012/829/CFSP; Council Regulation No 1264/2012) (see paras 43, 44)

3.                     Actions for annulment — Judgment annulling a measure — Effects — Partial annulment of a regulation and a decision on the adoption of restrictive measures against Iran — Annulment of regulation to take effect only as from the date of expiry of the period for bringing an appeal or from the date of dismissal of the appeal — Application of that period to when the annulment of the decision is to take effect (Arts 264, second para, TFEU and 280 TFEU; Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 56, first para., and 60, second para.; Council Decision 2012/829/CFSP; Council Regulation No 1264/2012) (see paras 56-59)

Re:

APPLICATION for annulment of (i) Council Decision 2012/829/CFSP of 21 December 2012 amending Decision 2010/413/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Iran (OJ 2012 L 356, p. 71) in so far as it listed 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 Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1264/2012 of 21 December 2012 implementing Regulation (EU) No 267/2012 concerning restrictive measures against Iran (OJ 2012 L 356, p. 55) in so far as it listed the applicant 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 (OJ 2012 L 88, p. 1).

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls Council Decision 2012/829/CFSP of 21 December 2012 amending Decision 2010/413/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Iran in so far as it listed Iranian Aluminium Co. (Iralco) 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 1264/2012 of 21 December 2012 implementing Regulation (EU) No 267/2012 concerning restrictive measures against Iran in so far as it listed Iralco 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 2012/829 to be maintained as regards Iralco until the entry into force of the order to annul Implementing Regulation No 1264/2012;

4. Orders the Council of the European Union to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Iralco.