LUXEMBOURG (ITALPRESS) – The European Union Tribunal rejected the appeal of Russian entrepreneur Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich against sanctions decided against him by the EU Council in the framework of measures taken after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions included the freezing of funds and the ban on entry and transit in the European Union. Abramovich had challenged before the EU Court the inclusion and maintenance of its name in the lists of persons and entities subject to such measures. The Court dismissed the application of the contractor and confirmed the acts of the Council. Abramovich, former owner of Chelsea, owns Russian, Israeli and Portuguese citizens. He is the main shareholder of Evraz, one of the main active groups in Russia in the steel and mining sector.
“The Court rejects the argument that the contested measures would be taken de facto by the working groups of the Council responsible for preparing preparatory work – reads in a note. In fact, the Council was simply based on these work to determine the adoption of the contested acts: the fact that these groups participated in the process of reviewing the restrictive measures, in order to facilitate the adoption of the final decision by the Council, does not mean that the latter has given up its decision-making power or delegated it to one of its working groups.”.
“In addition, the criteria for designation that allow the application of these measures, which are part of the broad discretionary power of the Council, are objective, sufficiently precise and proportionate: on the one hand, they are specifically addressed to prominent entrepreneurs operating in Russia, in a context where the main economic actors are closely linked to the State – the Court explains – and on the other, they concern those who intervene in areas that generate considerable income for the government. It is the application of these criteria, taking into account the importance of its capital possessions, which led to the adoption of restrictive measures against Abrahamvich, and not, as he argued, the will to exploit it because of its public notoriety. He is, in particular, the main shareholder of Evraz, a parent company of one of the largest groups active in Russia in the steel and mining sectors.”.
Abramovich also owns participations in Norilsk Nickel, one of the world’s leading palladium manufacturers and a key player in the refined nickel market. “Those activities, which fall within the steel and mining industries, represent, however, a considerable source of income for the Russian government – the EU Court emphasizes –. Finally, the measures comply with the conditions laid down by Union law, and in particular the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, with regard to the limitation of the exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms, such as the freedom of movement of European citizens, as they are based on a legislative basis which defines clearly and precisely the scope of these restrictions, respect the “essential content” of the applicant’s right to move freely in the territory of the Member States, provide for derogations and re-.
– photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
