Judgment of the General Court in case T-125/22

PRESS RELEASE No 132/22 Luxembourg, 27 July 2022 Judgment of the General Court in Case T-125/22 | RT France v Council The Grand Chamber of the General Court dismisses RT France’s application for annulment of acts of the Council, adopted following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, temporarily prohibiting that organisation from broadcasting content This is the first ruling given by the Grand Chamber under the expedited procedure On 24 February 2022, the Russian Federation launched military operations in Ukraine. By decision and regulation of 1 March 2022 (together, ‘the acts of the Council’ or ‘the contested acts’), 1 the Council of the European Union adopted restrictive measures intended to prohibit, until 31 July 2022, the broadcasting activities of certain media outlets, including RT France, within or to the European Union. According to the Council, the Russian Federation has engaged in a propaganda campaign justifying and supporting its aggression against Ukraine, targeting civil society in the European Union and neighbouring countries, by grievously distorting and manipulating the facts and, in order to do so, using certain media outlets under the direct or indirect control of the leadership of the Russian Federation as conduits for that propaganda campaign. RT France brought an action for annulment before the General Court against the acts of the Council. In support of its action, RT France relies on four pleas in law, alleging...