Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 19 November 2015 —
North Drilling v Council

(Case T‑539/14)

Common foreign and security policy — Restrictive measures against Iran with the aim of preventing nuclear proliferation — Freezing of funds — Error of assessment — Temporal adjustment of the effects of an annulment

1.                     European Union — Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions — Restrictive measures against Iran — Measures in the context of the fight against nuclear proliferation — Scope of control (Art. 275, second para., TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47; Council Decision 2014/222/CFSP; Council Regulation No 397/2014) (see paras 39-41)

2.                     Common foreign and security policy — Restrictive measures against Iran — Freezing of funds of entities owned or controlled by an entity providing financial support to the Iranian Government — Whether an entity is owned or controlled — Mere shareholding — Not included (Council Decision 2010/413/CFSP, Art. 20(1)(c); Council Regulation No 267/2012, Art. 23(2)(d)) (see paras 51-54)

3.                     Common foreign and security policy — Restrictive measures against Iran — Freezing of funds of persons, entities or bodies engaged in or supporting nuclear proliferation — Support for Iran’s nuclear activities posing a risk of proliferation — Concept — Marketing of essential equipment and technology intended for the gas and oil industry — Included (Council Decision 2010/413/CFSP, Art. 20(1)(b); Council Regulation No 267/2012, Arts 8, 23(2)(a), and 49) (see paras 59, 60)

4.                     Actions for annulment — Judgment annulling a measure — Effects — Partial annulment of a regulation and a decision on the adoption of restrictive measures against Iran — Such annulment taking effect as from the expiry of the period for lodging an appeal or from the dismissal of the appeal (Arts 264, second para., TFEU and 266 TFEU; Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 56, first para., and 60, second para.; Council Decision 2014/222/CFSP; Council Regulation No 397/2014) (see paras 67-70)

Re:

APPLICATION for annulment of Council Decision 2014/222/CFSP of 16 April 2014 amending Decision 2010/413/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Iran (OJ 2014 L 119, p. 65), and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 397/2014 of 16 April 2014 implementing Regulation (EU) No 267/2012 concerning restrictive measures against Iran (OJ 2014 L 119, p. 1), in so far as those acts concern the applicant.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls Article 1 of Council Decision 2014/222/CFSP of 16 April 2014 amending Decision 2010/413/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Iran, and Article 1 of Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 397/2014 of 16 April 2014 implementing Regulation (EU) No 267/2012 concerning restrictive measures against Iran (OJ 2014 L 119, p. 1), in so far as they concern North Drilling Co.;

2. Orders the effects of Article 1 of Decision 2014/222 and Article 1 of Implementing Regulation No 397/2014 to be maintained in respect of North Drilling until the date of expiry of the period for bringing an appeal stated in the first paragraph of Article 56 of the Statute of the Court of Justice of the European Union or, if an appeal has been brought within that period, until the dismissal of that appeal;

3. Orders the Council of the European Union to pay the costs.