On 18 June, the Court of Justice dismissed Vadzim Ipatau’s appeal to overturn the General Court’s earlier decision to dismiss Ipatau’s application for annulment of his listing in the EU’s restrictive measures against Belarus in Case C-535/14 P Ipatau v Council. Ipatau had been listed for violation of international electoral standards whilst Deputy Chairperson of the Belarus’ Central Electoral Commission (“CEC”).
In its judgment, the Court upheld the General Court’s determination in Case T-646/11 Ipatau v Council that Ipatau’s listing was adequate by virtue of the factual evidence that Ipatau and the CEC were responsible for breaching electoral standards during the 2010 Belarussian elections.
The Court also endorsed the General Court’s finding that the Council was entitled to alter the reasons for Ipatau’s listing in 2012, without hearing him beforehand, as the new reasons were grounded on the same basis as the original reasons, namely, Ipatau’s senior position in the CEC.
