Judgment of the General Court of 22 September 2021 – Al-Imam v Council
(Case T-203/20) 1
(Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures taken against Syria – Freezing of funds – Right of the defence – Right to effective judicial protection – Error of assessment – Proportionality – Right to property – Damage to reputation)
Language of the case: French
Parties
Applicant: Maher Al-Imam (Damascus, Syria) (represented by: M. Brillat, lawyer)
Defendant: Council of the European Union (represented by: V. Piessevaux and M.-C. Cadilhac, acting as Agents)
Re:
First, application under Article 263 TFEU seeking annulment of Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP of 31 May 2013 concerning restrictive measures against Syria (OJ 2013 L 147, p. 14), Council Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 of 18 January 2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria and repealing Regulation (EU) No 442/2011 (OJ 2012 L 16, p. 1), Council Implementing Decision (CFSP) 2020/212 of 17 February 2020 implementing Decision 2013/255/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria (OJ 2020 L 43 I, p. 6), Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/211 of 17 February 2020 implementing Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria (OJ 2020 L 43 I, p. 1), Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/719 of 28 May 2020 amending Decision 2013/255/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria (OJ 2020 L 168, p. 66), and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/716 of 28 May 2020 implementing Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria (OJ 2020 L 168, p. 1), in so far as those acts are directed against the applicant and, second, application under Article 268 TFEU seeking compensation for the damage allegedly suffered by the applicant as a result of those acts.
Operative part of the judgment
The Court:
Dismisses the action;
Orders Mr. Maher Al-Imam to pay the costs.
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1 OJ C 201, 15.6.2020.