Judgment of the General Court (First Chamber) of 22 January 2015 — Bank Tejarat v Council

(Case T‑176/12)

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

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 — Ambit of the review (Art. 275, second para., TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47) (see paras 35-39)

2.                     Judicial proceedings — Producing evidence — Time-limit — Evidence lodged out of time — Conditions (Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Arts 46(1), and 48(1)) (see paras 45, 46)

3.                     Actions for annulment — Judgment annulling a measure — Effects — Limitation by the Court — Restrictive measures against Iran — Partial annulment at two different times of two acts comprising identical restrictive measures — Risk of legal certainty being seriously affected — Maintenance of the effects of the first of those acts until the taking effect of annulment of the second (Arts 264, second para., TFEU, 280 TFEU and 288, second para., TFEU; Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 56, first para., and 60, second para.; Council Decision 2010/413/CFSP, as amended by Decision 2012/35/CFSP; Council Regulations No 267/2012 and 709/2012) (see paras 65-69, 72-74)

Re:

APPLICATION for the annulment in part, with immediate effect, of Council Decision 2012/35/CFSP of 23 January 2012, amending Decision 2010/413/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Iran (OJ 2012 L 19, p. 22), of Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 54/2012 of 23 January 2012 implementing Regulation (EU) No 961/2010 on restrictive measures against Iran (OJ 2012 L 19, p.1), of Council Regulation (EU) No 267/2012 of 23 March 2012 concerning restrictive measures against Iran and repealing Regulation (EU) No 961/2010 (OJ 2012 L 88, p. 1) and of Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 709/2012 of 2 August 2012 implementing Regulation (EU) No 267/2012 (OJ 2012 L 208, p. 2).

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls, in so far as they concern Bank Tejarat:

–        Point 2 of Table I.B in Annex I to Council Decision 2012/35/CFSP of 23 January 2012, amending Decision 2010/413/CFSP on restrictive measures against Iran;

–        Point 2 of Table I.B in Annex I to Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 54/2012 of 23 January 2012, implementing Regulation (EU) No 961/2010 on the adoption of restrictive measures against Iran;

–        Point 105 of Table I.B in Annex IX to Council Regulation (EU) No 267/2012 of 23 March 2012 on the adoption of restrictive measures against Iran and repealing Regulation (EU) No 961/2010;

–        Point 5 of Annex II to Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 709/2012 of 2 August 2012, implementing Regulation No 267/2012;

2. Dismisses the remainder of the action;

3. Declares that the effects of Council Decision 2010/413/CFSP of 26 July 2010 on restrictive measures against Iran and repealing Common Position 2007/140/CFSP, as amended by Decision 2012/35, are maintained as regards Bank Tejarat until the annulment of Regulation No 267/2012 and Implementing Regulation No 709/2012 takes effect;

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