Judgment of the General Court (Seventh Chamber) of 12 February 2015

1. Actions for annulmentJurisdiction of the EU judicatureClaim seeking that directions be issued to an institutionClaim for a declaratory judgmentInadmissibility (Art. 263 TFEU) (see paras 50, 51)

2. Acts of the institutionsStatement of reasonsObligationScopeRestrictive measures against SyriaFreezing of funds of persons, entities or bodies associated with the Syrian regimeDecision falling within a context known to the person concernedWhether a summary statement of reasons is sufficientDescription, without demonstration, of the applicant as the founder on an industrial group giving economic support to the regimeInfringement of the duty to state reasons (Art. 296 TFEU; Council Decisions 2011/273/CFSP and 2011/522/CFSP) (see paras 57-71)

3. EU lawPrinciplesRights of defenceRight to effective judicial protectionRestrictive measures against SyriaFreezing of funds of persons, entities or bodies associated with the Syrian regimeObligation to disclose incriminating evidenceScopeNotification to the person concerned by means of a publication in the Official Journal of the European UnionLawfulness (Art. 6(1) TEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Arts 41(2)(a), and 47; Council Decisions 2011/782/CFSP and 2013/255/CFSP; Council Regulation No 36/2012) (see paras 76-83, 89)

4. EU lawPrinciplesRights of defenceRestrictive measures against SyriaFreezing of funds of persons, entities or bodies associated with the Syrian regimeRight of access to documentsRight subject to request for access being made to the Council (Council Decision 2011/782/CFSP, Art. 21(2) and (3), and 2013/255/CFSP, Art. 30(2) and (3); Council Regulation No 36/2012, Art. 32(2) and (3)) (see paras 92, 93)

5. Common foreign and security policyRestrictive measures against SyriaFreezing of funds of persons, entities or bodies associated with the Syrian regimeEvidenceRecourse to presumptionsLawfulnessRebuttableNo infringement of the rights of the defence (Art. 6(1) TEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2)(a); Council Decisions 2011/273/CFSP and 2011/782/CFSP; Council Regulation No 36/2012) (see paras 112-115, 126)

6. EU lawPrinciplesRights of defenceRestrictive measures against SyriaFreezing of funds of persons, entities or bodies associated with the Syrian regimeDisclosure of inculpatory evidenceLimitsSafety of the Union and the Member States or conduct of their international relations (Council Decision 2011/782/CFSP, second and third recitals) (see para. 115)

7. European UnionJudicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutionsRestrictive measures against SyriaFreezing of funds of persons, entities or bodies associated with the Syrian regimeAmbit of the review (Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47; Council Decisions 2011/273/CFSP and 2011/782/CFSP; Council Regulation No 36/2012) (see paras 125, 134)

8. Common foreign and security policyRestrictive measures against SyriaFreezing of funds of persons, entities or bodies associated with the Syrian regimeFreezing of funds and economic resourcesRestrictions of the right to property and the right to respect for private lifeNo breach of principle of proportionality (Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Arts 7 and 17; Council Decisions 2011/273/CFSP and 2011/782/CFSP; Council Regulation No 36/2012) (see paras 143-153)

Re:

APPLICATION for annulment of Council Decision 2011/522/CFSP of 2 September 2011 amending Decision 2011/273/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria (OJ 2011 L 228, p. 16), Council Regulation (EU) No 878/2011 of 2 September 2011 amending Regulation (EU) No 442/2011 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria (OJ 2011 L 228, p. 1), Council Decision 2011/628/CFSP of 23 September 2011 amending Decision 2011/273/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria (OJ 2011 L 247, p. 17), Council Regulation (EU) No 1011/2011 of 13 October 2011 amending Regulation (EU) No 442/2011 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria (OJ 2011 L 269, p. 18), Council Decision 2011/782/CFSP of 1 December 2011 concerning restrictive measures against Syria and repealing Decision 2011/273/CFSP (OJ 2011 L 319, p. 56), Council Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 of 18 January 2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria and repealing Regulation (EU) No 442/2011 (OJ 2012 L 16, p. 1), Council Implementing Decision 2012/172/CFSP of 23 March 2012 implementing Decision 2011/782 (OJ 2012 L 87, p. 103), Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 266/2012 of 23 March 2012 implementing Article 32(1) of Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 (OJ 2012 L 87, p. 45), Council Decision 2012/739/CFSP of 29 November 2012 concerning restrictive measures against Syria and repealing Decision 2011/782 (OJ 2012 L 330, p. 21), Council Implementing Decision 2013/185/CFSP of 22 April 2013 implementing Decision 2012/739 (OJ 2013 L 111, p. 77), Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 363/2013 of 22 April 2013 implementing Regulation No 36/2012 (OJ 2013 L 111, p. 1), Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP of 31 May 2013 concerning restrictive measures against Syria (OJ 2013 L 147, p. 14), Council Implementing Decision 2014/730/CFSP of 20 October 2014 implementing Decision 2013/255 (OJ 2014 L 301, p. 36) and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1105/2014 of 20 October 2014 implementing Regulation No 36/2012 (OJ 2014 L 301, p. 7) in so far as those acts concern the applicant.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Annuls Council Decision 2011/522/CFSP of 2 September 2011 amending Decision 2011/273/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria, Council Regulation (EU) No 878/2011 of 2 September 2011 amending Regulation (EU) No 442/2011 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria, Council Decision 2011/628/CFSP of 23 September 2011 amending Decision 2011/273/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria, Council Regulation (EU) No 1011/2011 of 13 October 2011 amending Regulation (EU) No 442/2011 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria, Council Decision 2011/782/CFSP of 1 December 2011 concerning restrictive measures against Syria and repealing Decision 2011/273/CFSP, and Council Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 of 18 January 2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria and repealing Regulation (EU) No 442/2011, in so far as those acts concern Mr Tarif Akhras;

2. Dismisses the action as to the remainder;

3. Orders the parties to bear their own costs in relation to these proceedings;

4. Orders Mr Akhras to bear his own costs and to pay those of the Council of the European Union in relation to the interim relief proceedings.