Judgment of the General Court (Second Chamber) of 10 December 2018 –
Bank Refah Kargaran v Council

(Case T‑552/15)

(Non-contractual liability — Common foreign and security policy — Restrictive measures taken against Iran — Compensation of the harm allegedly suffered by the applicant as a result of its name being included and maintained on the list of persons and entities covered by the freezing of funds and economic resources — Jurisdiction of the General Court — Sufficiently serious breach of a rule of law conferring rights on individuals)

1.      Judicial proceedings — Absolute bar to proceeding — To be considered of the Court’s own motion — Compliance with the principle that the parties should be heard

(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 129)

(see paras 28, 29)

2.      Common foreign and security policy — Jurisdiction of the EU judicature — Action for damages seeking compensation for the loss allegedly suffered as a result of the applicant’s erroneous inclusion on a list of persons subject to restrictive measures — Not included — Action for damages seeking compensation for the loss allegedly suffered as a result of the implementation of the restrictive measures taken against the applicant — Included

(Arts 24(1), second para. TEU and 40 TEU; Arts 215 TFEU, 263, fourth para. TFEU and 275 TFEU; Council Decisons 2010/413/CFSP, 2010/644/CFSP and 2011/783/CFSP; Council Regulations No 961/2010, No 1245/2011 and No 267/2012)

(see paras 30-32)

3.      Non-contractual liability — Conditions — Unlawfulness — Sufficiently serious breach of EU law — Insufficient reasoning in a legislative act — Not included

(Arts 296 TFEU and 340, second para. TFEU)

(see paras 35, 43)

4.      Judicial proceedings — Introduction of new pleas during the proceedings — Conditions — Pleas based on matters which have come to light in the course of the procedure

(Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 84(1))

(see para. 54)

Re:

Action under Article 268 TFEU seeking compensation in respect of the harm allegedly suffered by the applicant as a result of the adoption of restrictive measures against it.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders Bank Refah Kargaran to bear its costs and pay those of the Council of the European Union;

3. Orders the European Commission to bear its own costs.