Action brought on 7 March 2011 - Ezzedine v Council

(Case T-131/11)

Language of the case: French

Parties

Applicant: Ibrahim Ezzedine (Treichville, Côte d'Ivoire) (represented by: G. Collard, lawyer)

Defendant: Council of the European Union

Form of order sought

The applicant claims that the Court should:

declare that, concerning the applicant, Mr Ibrahim EZZEDINE, Council Decision 2011/71/CFSP of 31 January 2011, published on 2 February 2011 in the Official Journal of the European Union, is not justified in fact,

consequently,

annul Council Decision 2011/71/CFSP of 31 January 2011;

alternatively, order that the name of Mr Ibrahim EZZEDINE be removed from the list annexed to that decision.

Pleas in law and main arguments

In support of the action, the applicant puts forward two pleas in law.

1.    First plea in law alleging a breach of the obligation to state reasons, in so far as the grounds for including the applicant on the list of persons and entities to which the restrictive measures apply are stereotyped without any specific factual element making it possible to assess the relevance of that inclusion being mentioned.

2.    Second plea in law alleging a manifest error of assessment, in so far as the applicant is accused of helping to fund the illegitimate administration of L. Gbagbo, whereas the applicant is only carrying out the activity of a private businessman and is therefore simply helping to fund the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire and not a specific regime by the payment of taxes and levies.

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