Commissioned by
MEPs Michael von der Schulenburg and Ruth Firmenich
Provided by
Prof. Dr. Ninon Colneric and Prof. Dr. Alina Miron

1. Do sanctions against natural persons for alleged disinformation,
based on the EU legal instruments concerning restrictive measures in
view of Russia’s destabilizing activities, comply with international
and EU law?
2. Can the European Parliament bring an action for annulment of such
legal instruments?

Contents
QUESTION 1 – DO SANCTIONS AGAINST NATURAL PERSONS FOR ALLEGED DISINFORMATION, BASED ON THE
EU LEGAL INSTRUMENTS CONCERNING RESTRICTIVE MEASURES IN VIEW OF RUSSIA’S DESTABILIZING
ACTIVITIES, COMPLY WITH INTERNATIONAL AND EU LAW? ……………………………………………………. 2
1. Preliminary remark …………………………………………………………………………………….. 2
2. The sanctions regime and its judicial review …………………………………………………….. 3
2.1. Overview of the relevant decisions and regulations ………………………………………………… 3
2.2. The relevant target group …………………………………………………………………………………… 4
2.3. Restrictive measures relating to natural persons ……………………………………………………. 5
2.4. Listing procedure …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9
2.5. Judicial review……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 10
3. The Role of the European Convention on Human Rights ……………………………………. 13
4. Assessment under European Union law ………………………………………………………… 15
4.1. Competences ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 15
4.2. Necessary provisions on legal safeguards …………………………………………………………… 16
4.3. Human rights ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 16
5. Assessment under general international law ………………………………………………….. 40
5.1. Interference with the freedom of expression and information as protected by international
law ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 41
5.2. The limits of the freedom of expression in international law ……………………………………. 42
6. Conclusions …………………………………………………………………………………………… 52
QUESTION 2 – CAN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT BRING AN ACTION FOR ANNULMENT OF SUCH LEGAL
INSTRUMENTS? ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 53
1. Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2643 ……………………………………………………………… 53
2. Council Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 ………………………………………………………………. 54
3. Conclusions …………………………………………………………………………………………… 55
About the authors ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 55
ANNEX – List of natural persons sanctioned by the EU for information manipulation and
interference …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 56

Sole liability rests with the Member financing this political and information activity. The European Parliament is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained herein.