Judgment of the General Court of 13 November 2014 — Hamcho and Hamcho International v Council
(Case T-43/12) 1
(Common foreign and security policy — Restrictive measures adopted against Syria — Freezing of funds — Action for annulment — Period for bringing proceedings — Partial inadmissibility — Locus standi — Burden of proof — Adjustment of temporal effects of annulment)
Language of the case: French
Parties
Applicant: Mohamad Hamcho (Damascus, Syria) and Hamcho International (Damascus) (represented by: M. Ponsard, D. Amaudruz and A. Boesch, lawyers)
Defendant: Council of the European Union (represented initially by G. Étienne and S. Kyriakopoulou, then by G. Étienne, S. Kyriakopoulou and B. Driessen and last by G. Étienne and S. Kyriakopoulou, agents)
Re:
Application for annulment of Council Decision 2011/273/CFSP of 9 May 2011 concerning restrictive measures against Syria (OJ 2011 L 121, p. 11), Council Regulation (EU) No 442/2011 of 9 May 2011 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria (OJ 2011 L 121, p. 1), Council Implementing Decision 2011/302/CFSP of 23 May 2011 implementing Decision 2011/273 (OJ 2011 L 136, p. 91), Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 504/2011 of 23 May 2011 implementing Regulation No 442/2011 (OJ 2011 L 136, p. 45), Council Implementing Decision 2011/367/CFSP of 23 June 2011 implementing Decision 2011/273 (OJ 2011 L 164, p. 14), Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 611/2011 of 23 June 2011 implementing Regulation No 442/2011 (OJ 2011 L 164, p. 1), Council Implementing Decision 2011/488/CFSP of 1 August 2011 implementing Decision 2011/273 (OJ L 199, p. 74), Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 755/2011 of 1 August 2011 implementing Regulation No 442/2011 (OJ 2011 L 199, p. 33), Council Implementing Decision 2011/515/CFSP of 23 August 2011 implementing Decision 2011/273 (OJ L 218, p. 20), Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 843/2011 of 23 August 2011 implementing Regulation No 442/2011 (OJ 2011 L 218, p. 1), Council Decision 2011/522/CFSP of 2 September 2011 amending Decision 2011/273 (OJ 2011 L 228, p. 16), Council Regulation (EU) No 878/2011 of 2 September 2011 amending Regulation No 442/2011 (OJ 2011 L 228, p. 1), Council Decision 2011/628/CFSP of 23 September 2011 amending Decision 2011/273 (OJ 2011 L 247, p. 17), Council Regulation (EU) No 950/2011 of 23 September 2011 amending Regulation No 442/2011 (OJ 2011 L 247, p. 3), Council Decision 2011/684/CFSP of 13 October 2011 amending Decision 2011/273 (OJ 2011 L 269, p. 33), Council Regulation (EU) No 1011/2011 of 13 October 2011 amending Regulation No 442/2011 (OJ 2011 L 269, p. 18), Council Decision 2011/735/CFSP of 14 November 2011 amending Decision 2011/273 (OJ 2011 L 296, p. 53), Council Implementing Decision 2011/736/CFSP of 14 November 2011 implementing Decision 2011/273 (OJ 2011 L 296, p. 55), Council Regulation (EU) No 1150/2011 of 14 November 2011 amending Regulation No 442/2011 (OJ 2011 L 296, p. 1), Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1151/2011 of 14 November 2011 implementing Regulation No 442/2011 (OJ 2011 L 296, p. 3), Council Decision 2011/782/CFSP of 1 December 2011 concerning restrictive measures against Syria and repealing Decision 2011/273 (OJ 2011 L 319, p. 56), Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1244/2011 of 1 December 2011 implementing Regulation No 442/2011 (OJ 2011 L 319, p. 8), Council Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 of 18 January 2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria and repealing Regulation No 442/2011 (OJ 2012 L 16, p. 1), Council Implementing Decision 2012/37/CFSP of 23 January 2012 implementing Decision 2011/782 (OJ 2012 L 19, p. 33), Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 55/2012 of 23 January 2012 implementing Article 33(1) of Regulation No 36/2012 (OJ 2012 L 19, p. 6), Council Implementing Decision 2012/172/CFSP of 23 March 2012 implementing Decision 2011/782 (OJ 2012 L 87, p. 103), Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 266/2012 of 23 March 2012 implementing Article 32(1) of Regulation No 36/2012 (OJ 2012 L 87, p. 45) Council Decision 2012/206/CFSP of 23 April 2012 amending Decision 2011/782 (OJ 2012 L 110, p. 36), Council Implementing Decision 2012/256/CFSP of 14 May 2012 implementing Decision 2011/782 (OJ 2012 L 126, p. 9), Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 410/2012 of 14 May 2012 implementing Article 32(1) of Regulation No 36/2012 (OJ 2012 L 126, p. 3), Council Regulation (EU) No 509/2012 of 15 June 2012 amending Regulation No 36/2012 (OJ 2012 L 156, p. 10), Council Decision 2012/322/CFSP of 20 June 2012 amending Decision 2011/782 (OJ 2012 L 165, p. 45), Council Implementing Decision 2012/335/CFSP of 25 June 2012 implementing Decision 2011/782 (OJ 2012 L 165, p. 80), Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 544/2012 of 25 June 2012 implementing Article 32(1) of Regulation No 36/2012 (OJ 2012 L 165, p. 20), Council Regulation (EU) No 545/2012 of 25 June 2012 amending Regulation No 36/2012 (OJ 2012 L 165, p. 23), Council Decision 2012/420/CFSP of 23 July 2012 amending Decision 2011/782 (OJ 2012 L 196, p. 59), Council Implementing Decision 2012/424/CFSP of 23 July 2012 implementing Decision 2011/782 (OJ 2012 L 196, p. 81), Council Implementing Regulation (EU) Noº673/2012 of 23 July 2012 implementing Article 32(1) of Regulation No 36/2012 (OJ 2012 L 196, p. 8), Council Decision 2012/739/CFSP of 29 November 2012 concerning restrictive measures against Syria and repealing Decision 2011/782 (OJ 2012 L 330, p. 21), Council Implementing Decision 2013/185/CFSP of 22 April 2013 implementing Decision 2012/739 (OJ 2013 L 111, p. 77), Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 363/2013 of 22 April 2013 implementing Regulation No 36/2012 (OJ 2013 L 111, p. 1), and Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP of 31 May 2013 concerning restrictive measures against Syria (OJ 2013 L 147, p. 14), in so far as those acts concern the applicants.
Operative part of the judgment
The Court:
Dismisses the action as being inadmissible, because out of time, in so far as it seeks the annulment of Council Implementing Decision 2011/302/CFSP of 23 May 2011 implementing Decision 2011/273/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria, Council Implementing Decision 2011/367/CFSP of 23 June 2011 implementing Decision 2011/273/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria, Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 504/2011 of 23 May 2011 implementing Regulation (EU) No 442/2011 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria, and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 611/2011 of 23 June 2011 implementing Regulation (EU) No 442/2011 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria.
Dismisses the action as being inadmissible in so far as it seeks the annulment of Council Decision 2011/273/CFSP of 9 May 2011 concerning restrictive measures against Syria, Council Regulation (EU) No 442/2011 of 9 May 2011 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria, Council Implementing Decision 2011/488/CFSP of 1 August 2011 implementing Decision 2011/273, Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 755/2011 of 1 August 2011 implementing Regulation No 442/2011, Council Implementing Decision 2011/515/CFSP of 23 August 2011 implementing Decision 2011/273, Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 843/2011 of 23 August 2011 implementing Regulation No 442/2011, Council Decision 2011/522/CFSP of 2 September 2011 amending Decision 2011/273, Council Regulation (EU) No 878/2011 of 2 September 2011 amending Regulation No 442/2011, Council Decision 2011/628/CFSP of 23 September 2011 amending Decision 2011/273, Council Regulation (EU) No 950/2011 of 23 September 2011 amending Regulation No 442/2011, Council Decision 2011/684/CFSP of 13 October 2011 amending Decision 2011/273, Council Regulation (EU) No 1011/2011 of 13 October 2011 amending Regulation No 442/2011, Council Decision 2011/735/CFSP of 14 November 2011 amending Decision 2011/273, Council Implementing Decision 2011/736/CFSP of 14 November 2011 implementing Decision 2011/273, Council Regulation (EU) No 1150/2011 of 14 November 2011 amending Regulation No 442/2011, Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1151/2011 of 14 November 2011 implementing Regulation No 442/2011, Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1244/2011 of 1 December 2011 implementing Regulation No 442/2011, Council Implementing Decision 2012/37/CFSP of 23 January 2012 implementing Decision 2011/782/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria, Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 55/2012 of 23 January 2012 implementing Article 33(1) of Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria, Council Decision 2012/206/CFSP of 23 April 2012 amending Decision 2011/782/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria, Council Implementing Decision 2012/256/CFSP of 14 May 2012 implementing Decision 2011/782/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria, Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 410/2012 of 14 May 2012 implementing Article 32(1) of Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria, Council Regulation (EU) No 509/2012 of 15 June 2012 amending Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria, Council Decision 2012/322/CFSP of 20 June 2012 amending Decision 2011/782/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria, Council Implementing Decision 2012/335/CFSP of 25 June 2012 implementing Decision 2011/782/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria, Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 544/2012 of 25 June 2012 implementing Article 32(1) of Regulation (EU) Noº36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria, Council Regulation (EU) No 545/2012 of 25 June 2012 amending Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria, Council Decision 2012/420/CFSP of 23 July 2012 amending Decision 2011/782/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria, Council Implementing Decision 2012/424/CFSP of 23 July 2012 implementing Decision 2011/782/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 673/2012 of 23 July 2012 implementing Article 32(1) of Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria, since those acts do not concern Mr Hamcho and Hamcho International.
Dismisses the action as being inadmissible in so far as it is directed against the letter of the Council of the European Union dated 21 December 2011 sent to Mr Hamcho and Hamcho International.
Declares that there is no need to adjudicate on the action in so far as it seeks the annulment of Council Decision 2011/782/CFSP of 1 December 2011 concerning restrictive measures against Syria and repealing Decision 2011/273, Council Implementing Decision 2012/172/CFSP of 23 March 2012 implementing Decision 2011/782, Council Decision 2012/739/CFSP of 29 November 2012 concerning restrictive measures against Syria and repealing Decision 2011/782, and Council Implementing Decision 2013/185/CFSP of 22 April 2013 implementing Decision 2012/739, since those acts have been repealed and replaced.
5) Annuls, in so far as the following acts concern Mr Hamcho and Hamcho International:
– Council Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 of 18 January 2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria and repealing Regulation No 442/2011;
– Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 266/2012 of 23 March 2012 implementing Article 32(1) of Regulation No 36/2012
Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 363/2013 of 22 April 2013 implementing Regulation No 36/2012;
– Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP of 31 May 2013 concerning restrictive measures against Syria.
6) Orders the effects of the annulled decisions and regulations to be maintained with respect to Mr Hamcho and Hamcho International, until the date of expiry of the period for bringing an appeal or, if an appeal is brought within that period, until any dismissal of that appeal.
7) Orders the Council to bear its own costs and to pay one third of the costs incurred by Mr Hamcho and by Hamcho International.
8) Orders Mr Hamcho and Hamcho International to bear two thirds of their own costs.
________________________1 OJ C 80, 0f 17.3.2012.