Judgment of the General Court of 17 February 2017 — Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines and Others v Council
(Joined Cases T-14/14 and T-87/14) 1
(Common foreign and security policy — Restrictive measures taken against Iran with the aim of preventing nuclear proliferation — Freezing of funds — Plea of illegality — Legal basis — Misuse of powers — Rights of the defence — Legitimate expectations — Legal certainty — Ne bis in idem — Res judicata — Proportionality — Manifest error of assessment — Fundamental rights)
Language of the case: English
Parties
Applicants: Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (Tehran, Iran) and 10 other parties (represented by: F. Randolph QC, P. Pantelis, Solicitor, M. Lester, Barrister, and M. Taher, Solicitor)
Defendant: Council of the European Union (represented by: M. Bishop and V. Piessevaux, acting as Agents)
Intervener in support of the defendant in Case T-87/17: European Commission (represented by: D. Gauci and T. Scharf, acting as Agents)
Re:
Application, in Case T-14/14, pursuant to Article 263 TFEU, for annulment of Council Decision 2013/497/CFSP of 10 October 2013 amending Decision 2010/413/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Iran (OJ 2013 L 272, p. 46), and of Council Regulation (EU) No 971/2013 of 10 October 2013 amending Regulation (EU) No 267/2012 concerning restrictive measures against Iran (OJ 2013 L 272, p. 1), in so far as those acts concern the applicants; and, in Case T-87/14, (i) pursuant to Article 277 TFEU, for a declaration that Decision 2013/497 and Regulation No 971/2013 are inapplicable, and (ii) pursuant to Article 263 TFEU, for annulment of Council Decision 2013/685/CFSP of 26 November 2013 amending Decision 2010/413/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Iran (OJ 2013 L 316, p. 46), and of Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1203/2013 of 26 November 2013 implementing Regulation (EU) No 267/2012 concerning restrictive measures against Iran (OJ 2013 L 316, p. 1), in so far as those acts concern the applicants.
Operative part of the judgment
The Court:
Dismisses the actions;
Orders Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines and the other applicants whose names are listed in the Annex to bear their own costs and to pay those incurred by the Council of the European Union;
Orders the European Commission to bear its own costs.
____________1 OJ C 71, 8.3.2014.