Order of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 1 September 2015 —
Makhlouf v Council

(Case T‑441/13)

Action for annulment — Common foreign and security policy — Restrictive measures taken against Syria — Freezing of funds — Obligation to state reasons — Rights of the defence — Right to effective judicial protection — Error of assessment — Right to property — Right to respect for private life — Proportionality — Force of res judicata — Time-limit for bringing an action — Admissibility — Action manifestly lacking any foundation in law

1.                     Actions for annulment — Judgment annulling a measure — Scope — Absolute authority of res judicata — Scope (see paras 21-24)

2.                     Actions for annulment — Time-limits — Point from which time starts to run — Notification — Concept — Notification to an applicant’s representative — Condition (Art. 263, sixth para., TFEU) (see paras 27, 28)

3.                     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 (Art. 263, sixth para., TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the General Court (2011), Art. 102(2); Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP) (see para. 32)

4.                     EU law — Principles — Rights of defence — Right to effective judicial protection — Restrictive measures against Syria — Prohibition of entry and transit and freezing of funds of certain persons and entities responsible for violent repression against the civilian population — Obligation to disclose incriminating evidence — Scope (Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47; Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP) (see paras 41, 42, 49)

5.                     Common foreign and security policy — Restrictive measures against Syria — Prohibition of entry and transit and freezing of funds of certain persons and entities responsible for violent repression against the civilian population — Rights of defence — Communication of inculpatory evidence — Subsequent decision maintaining the name of the applicant on the list of persons covered by those measures — No new grounds — No infringement of the right to be heard (Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2)(a); Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP) (see paras 44-46)

6.                     EU law — Principles — Rights of defence — Restrictive measures against Syria — Prohibition of entry and transit and freezing of funds of certain persons and entities responsible for violent repression against the civilian population — Right of access to documents — Right subject to request for access being made to the Council (Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP) (see para. 47)

7.                     Acts of the institutions — Statement of reasons — Obligation — Scope — Restrictive measures against Syria — Prohibition of entry and transit and freezing of funds of certain persons and entities responsible for violent repression against the civilian population — Minimum requirements (Art. 296 TFEU; Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP) (see paras 61-67)

8.                     European Union — Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions — Restrictive measures against Syria — Prohibition of entry and transit and freezing of funds of certain persons and entities responsible for violent repression against the civilian population — Ambit of the review (Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47; Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP) (see paras 76, 77)

9.                     Common foreign and security policy — Restrictive measures against Syria — Prohibition of entry and transit and freezing of funds of certain persons and entities responsible for violent repression against the civilian population — Restriction of the right to property and respect for private life — No breach of principle of proportionality (Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Arts 7 and 17; Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP, Arts 27(6), and 28(3) to (11)) (see paras 90-95)

Re:

APPLICATION for annulment of Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP of 31 May 2013 concerning restrictive measures against Syria (OJ 2013 L 147, p. 14), in so far as that decision concerns the applicant.

Operative part

1. 1. The action is dismissed as manifestly lacking any foundation in law.

2. 2. Mr Eyad Makhlouf is ordered to bear the costs.