1. 

Acts of the institutions – Statement of reasons – Obligation – Scope – Restrictive measures against Belarus – Freezing of funds of certain persons and entities in view of the situation in Belarus – Decision falling within a context known to the person concerned, enabling him or her to understand the scope of the measure taken against him or her – Whether summary statement of reasons sufficient

(Art. 296 TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2)(c); Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2021/1002, Annex; Council Regulations No 765/2006 and No 2021/997)

(see paragraphs 25-29, 33, 34, 37, 39)

2. 

Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures against Belarus – Freezing of funds – Rights of the defence – Notification of inculpatory evidence – Initial decision including the applicant’s name on the list of persons subject to those measures – Lack of individual notification – Surprise effect – No infringement of the right to be heard

(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2)(a); Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2021/1002, Annex; Council Regulations No 765/2006 and No 2021/997)

(see paragraphs 44-49, 56)

3. 

EU law – Principles – Rights of the defence – Right to effective judicial protection – Restrictive measures against Belarus – Obligation to disclose individual and specific grounds for the decisions adopted – Scope – Notification to the person concerned through publication in the Official Journal – Council not able to effect notification – Whether permissible – No infringement of the right to be heard

(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2)(a); Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2021/1002, Annex; Council Regulations No 765/2006 and No 2021/997)

(see paragraphs 50-52, 56)

4. 

EU law – Principles – Rights of the defence – Restrictive measures against Belarus – Right of access to documents – Right to be heard – Rights contingent upon the presentation of a request to that effect to the Council

(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41(2); Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2021/1002, Annex; Council Regulations No 765/2006 and No 2021/997)

(see paragraphs 54-56)

5. 

European Union – Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions – Restrictive measures against Belarus – Freezing of funds of certain persons and entities in view of the situation in Belarus – Scope of the review – Proof that the measure is well founded – Obligation on the competent EU authority to establish, in the event of challenge, that the reasons relied on against the persons or entities concerned are well founded – Inclusion on the lists based on a specific, precise and consistent set of indicia – No error of assessment

(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47; Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2021/1002, Annex; Council Regulations No 765/2006 and No 2021/997)

(see paragraphs 60-64, 75, 81, 82, 95, 96)

6. 

European Union – Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions – Restrictive measures against Belarus – Scope of the review – Evidence submitted as exculpatory evidence by the person subject to the restrictive measures – Included

(Art. 275, second para., TFEU; Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2021/1002, Annex; Council Regulations No 765/2006 and No 2021/997)

(see paragraph 65)

7. 

European Union – Judicial review of the legality of the acts of the institutions – Restrictive measures against Belarus – Freezing of funds of certain persons and entities in view of the situation in Belarus – Scope of the review – Measures capable of being supported by some grounds and not others – Validity of those measures

(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 47; Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2021/1002, Annex; Council Regulations No 765/2006 and No 2021/997)

(see paragraph 67)

8. 

Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures against Belarus – Natural or legal persons, entities or bodies benefitting from or supporting the Lukashenko regime – Personal relationship with President Lukashenko – Meaning – Assessment of the facts and verification of the evidence

(Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2021/1002, Annex; Council Regulations No 765/2006 and No 2021/997)

(see paragraphs 88, 99)

9. 

Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures against Belarus – Criteria for adopting restrictive measures – Natural or legal persons, entities or bodies benefitting from or supporting the Lukashenko regime – Concept – No error of assessment

(Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2021/1002, Annex; Council Regulations No 765/2006 and No 2021/997)

(see paragraphs 100, 101, 103, 107-111, 115-117)

10. 

Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures against Belarus – Freezing of funds of certain persons and entities in view of the situation in Belarus – Restriction of the right to property and of the freedom to conduct a business, and damage to reputation – No breach of the principle of proportionality

(Art. 5(4) TEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Arts 15, 16 and 17; Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP, as amended by Decision (CFSP) 2021/1002; Council Regulations No 765/2006 and No 2021/997)

(see paragraphs 123-131)

1. 

Dismisses the actions in Cases T‑563/21 and T‑564/21;

2. 

Orders Mr Alexander Zaytsev and Bremino-Grupp TAA to pay the costs.