EU General Court dismisses Roman Abramovich's latest challenge to sanctions

Sanctions survive another court challenge

The European Union's General Court dismissed Roman Abramovich's latest attempt to overturn restrictive measures imposed after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The September 9 judgment preserves the freeze on his funds in the EU and restrictions on entry or transit. It is the third unsuccessful General Court challenge associated with his continued listing, following earlier judgments in December 2023 and September 2025.

The latest case concerned Council acts that prolonged the measures after officials reviewed observations submitted by Abramovich. He sought annulment of those acts and compensation for claimed non-material harm. The court rejected both the procedural challenge and the underlying objections to the designation criteria, according to its official release. The decision does not create a new sanctions programme; it confirms the legality of maintaining an individual under the existing Russia regime.

Judges uphold the Council's process

Abramovich argued in part that Council working groups had effectively taken the decision rather than merely preparing it. The court found that the Council retained final authority and was entitled to rely on preparatory work when deciding whether to renew restrictions. That finding matters to the wider sanctions system because periodic renewals involve extensive administrative review of evidence and submissions across many individual cases.

The court also upheld criteria covering leading businesspeople operating in Russia and people active in sectors that provide substantial revenue to the Russian government. It found those criteria objective, sufficiently precise and proportionate within the Council's broad discretion. The official release linked Abramovich's designation to the importance of his holdings, including his majority interest in the parent company of steel and mining group Evraz and shares in Norilsk Nickel.

Why the judgment matters beyond one businessman

EU individual sanctions depend on courts accepting both the legal design of the criteria and the evidence connecting each listed person to them. Successful challenges can force the Council to improve its reasoning, update evidence or remove a name. This ruling instead reinforces the proposition that major economic activity in sectors generating revenue for the Russian state can justify restrictions even without proving that the listed businessperson personally directs Kremlin policy.

The next procedural question is whether Abramovich appeals on points of law to the EU's higher Court of Justice within the permitted period. Unless a later ruling suspends or overturns the measures, the asset freeze and travel restrictions remain. More broadly, the Council must continue renewing listings with current evidence rather than relying indefinitely on the conditions that existed in 2022. Future judgments will show how much economic distance from Russia is sufficient to break the legal connection underpinning a designation.