(AGENPARL) – mer 20 dicembre 2023 PRESS RELEASE No 195/23
Luxembourg, 20 December 2023
Judgment of the General Court in Case T-313/22 | Abramovich v Council
War in Ukraine: the General Court of the European Union dismisses the
action brought by Mr Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich, thereby upholding
the restrictive measures taken against him
Mr Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich is a businessman of Russian, Israeli and Portuguese nationalities. He is, in
particular, the majority shareholder in the parent company Evraz, one of the leading Russian groups in the steel and
mining sector. That sector provides a substantial source of revenue to the Russian Government.
Following the attack launched by Russia against Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the Council, inter alia, froze the funds
of, and prohibited entry into or transit through the European Union to, leading businesspersons who engage in
activities in economic sectors providing a substantial source of revenue to the Russian Government 1. These
restrictive measures are aimed at increasing pressure on Russia and the cost of the latter’s actions in undermining
the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.
Mr Abramovich challenges, before the General Court of the European Union, the inclusion 2 and maintenance 3 of
his name on the lists of persons and entities subject to those measures. Furthermore, he seeks compensation in
respect of harm to his reputation, which he provisionally estimates at €1,000,000.
The General Court dismisses the action brought by Mr Abramovich, thereby upholding the restrictive
measures taken against him.
The Council did not in fact err in its assessment by deciding to include then maintain Mr Abramovich’s name
on the lists at issue, in the light of his role in the Evraz group and, in particular, its parent company.
The Court observes, furthermore, that the inclusion and maintenance of Mr Abramovich’s name on the lists at issue
do not constitute an unjustified and disproportionate infringement of his fundamental rights, which include, in
particular, the right to respect for private and family life, the freedom to conduct a business and free movement. In
that connection, the General Court recalls, in particular, that EU law provides for the possibility of authorising the
use of frozen funds in order to meet essential needs and of granting specific permissions allowing funds or other
economic resources to be released.
In so far as concerns, more specifically, the alleged infringement of the right of Mr Abramovich, as a Portuguese ?
and, therefore, EU ? national, to move freely on the territory of the European Union, the General Court rejects his
arguments alleging disproportionate infringement of that freedom as unfounded.
Since Mr Abramovich has failed to demonstrate that the inclusion and maintenance of his name on the lists
were unlawful, his claim for compensation is also dismissed.
Communications Directorate
Press and Information Unit
curia.europa.eu
NOTE: An action for annulment seeks the annulment of acts of the institutions of the European Union that are
contrary to EU law. The Member States, the European institutions and individuals may, under certain conditions,
bring an action for annulment before the Court of Justice or the General Court. If the action is well founded, the act
is annulled. The institution concerned must fill any legal vacuum created by the annulment of the act.
NOTE: An appeal, limited to points of law only, may be brought before the Court of Justice against the decision of
the General Court within two months and ten days of notification of the decision.
Unofficial document for media use, not binding on the General Court.
The full text and, as the case may be, an abstract of the judgment are published on the CURIA website on the day of
delivery.
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Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/329 of 25 February 2022 amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions
undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine; Council Regulation (EU) 2022/330 of 25 February 2022
amending 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) 2022/429 of 15 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; Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/427 of
15 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.
The most recent maintaining acts concerned by this case date back to 13 April 2023.
Communications Directorate