Judgment of the General Court of 26 October 2022 – Ovsyannikov v Council

(Case T-714/20) ¹

(Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures taken in respect of actions undermining or threatening Ukraine – Freezing of funds – Restrictions on entry into the territory of the Member States – List of persons, entities and bodies subject to freezing of funds and economic resources –Maintenance of the applicant’s name on the list – Error of assessment)

Language of the case: Spanish

Parties

Applicant: Dmitry Vladimirovich Ovsyannikov (Moscow, Russia) (represented by: J. L. Iriarte Ángel and E. Delage González, lawyers)

Defendant: Council of the European Union (represented by: H. Marcos Fraile, S. Sáez Moreno and A. Antoniadis, acting as Agents)

Re:

By his action pursuant to Article 263 TFEU, the applicant seeks annulment of, first, Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/1269 of 10 September 2020 amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine (OJ 2020 L 298, p. 23), and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1267 of 10 September 2020 implementing Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine (OJ 2020 L 298, p. 1), secondly, Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/448 of 12 March 2021 amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine (OJ 2021 L 87, p. 35), and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/446 of 12 March 2021 implementing Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine (OJ 2021 L 87, p. 19), thirdly, Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/1470 of 10 September 2021 amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine (OJ 2021 L 321, p. 32), and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1464 of 10 September 2021 implementing Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine (OJ 2021 L 321, p. 1), and fourthly, Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/411 of 10 March 2022 amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine (OJ 2022 L 84, p. 28), and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2022/408 of 10 March 2022 implementing Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine (OJ 2014 L 84, p. 2), in so far as those acts maintain his name on the lists annexed to those acts.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

Annuls Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/1269 of 10 September 2020 amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1267 of 10 September 2020 implementing Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/448 of 12 March 2021 amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/446, of 12 March 2021, implementing Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/1470 of 10 September 2021 amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1464 of 10 September 2021 implementing Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/411 of 10 March 2022 amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/408 of 10 March 2022 implementing Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, in so far as the name of Mr Dmitry Vladimirovich Ovsyannikov was maintained on the list of persons, entities and bodies to which those restrictive measures apply.

Orders the Council of the European Union to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by Mr Ovsyannikov, including those relating to the interlocutory proceedings.

____________

¹ OJ C 44, 8.2.2021.