EU Council reimburses Nizar Assaad's legal costs after EU Court annuls unlawful sanctions

The EU Council has paid a significant contribution to the legal costs of Carter Ruck’s client, the successful litigant Nizar Assaad, following an order of the General Court of the European Union. 

In a judgment dated 8 March 2023 the General Court of the EU upheld Mr. Assaad’s annulment application and annulled sanctions which had been imposed on him by the EU Council in 2021 and 2022. The Court found that the restrictive measures were not factually justified and that they breached important principles of EU law. It annulled the sanctions and ordered the EU Council to pay Mr Assaad’s legal costs.

On 14 December, the EU Council made a payment to Mr Assaad in settlement which has been caused to Mr Assaad by the EU’s unlawful sanctions, it is a symbolic recognition of the unwarranted challenges he has had to face and the unreasonable and unjustified stance which the Council adopted against him. It is also a further vindication of the position Mr Assaad has adopted from the outset – that these sanctions had absolutely no basis in fact. The full sum of the Council’s payment will be donated to charities aimed at helping Syrians affected by the recent earthquake in the region.

Mr. Assaad welcomed this decision as a significant step toward restoring his reputation and ensuring accountability for the undue hardships he has endured.

A source close to the family said: “Our family is relieved and feel vindicated with this action after years of being unfairly targeted. This agreement, along with the recent judgement, closes the door on this painful chapter. We are pleased to put this behind us. We will be donating all reimbursements from the EU Council to humanitarian organizations aimed at helping Syrians affected by the earthquake.”

Mr Assaad has been represented throughout this litigation by Guy Martin and Charles Enderby Smith of Carter-Ruck, and Maya Lester KC and Malcolm Birdling of Brick Court.

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