Compensation for Damages Sustained Due to Illegal Imposition of Sanctions against Persons by the European Union

Economic and financial sanctions have been among the significant foreign policy instruments used by the European Union (“EU”) throughout the last two decades. These sanctions must be in compliance with binding legal rules and principles contained in EU Treaties and other instruments and in this regard, are subject to the judicial control of the courts of the EU. One of the said principles is the “legality” in theimposition of sanctions. Given the jurisprudence of the General Court and the Court of Justice of the European Union in cases related to sanctions against the I.R. Iran, especially Fulmen and Mahmoudian v. Council and Safa Nicu Sepahan v. Council, this Article seeks to analyze the conditions under which imposition of sanctions might be rendered as illegal, the conditions required for the EU to bear non-contractual liability and the types of Court orders the applicant may seek (annulment of sanctions and compensation for damages).