EU Court Revives Venezuela Sanctions Challenge

EU court revives Venezuela sanctions challenge

Luxembourg, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Jun, 2021 ) :The EU's top court on Tuesday resurrected a challenge by Venezuela against sanctions from the bloc over repression of the opposition, overturning an earlier decision to dismiss the case.

Caracas launched its legal bid in 2018 looking to annul the measures -- including an arms embargo -- imposed against the government of leader Nicolas Maduro.

The EU's General Court dismissed the lawsuit, arguing that Venezuela did not have the legal basis to challenge the sanctions.

But in a fresh ruling issued on Tuesday, the European Court of Justice backed an appeal from Caracas and sent the case back for a new "judgement on the merits of that action".

"Venezuela has standing to bring proceedings against a regulation which introduces restrictive measures against it," the court said in a statement.

The latest decision in the protracted legal battle gives no indication of whether Maduro's government will eventually succeed in forcing the EU to scrap its sanctions.

The 27-nation bloc this year adopted a fifth round of sanctions targeting 19 Venezuelan officials for "undermining democracy" and human rights abuses.

The move brings to 55 the total number of members of Maduro's regime to be slapped with asset freezes and travel bans by the bloc.

The EU expanded its blacklist after rejecting a December legislative election in which Maduro won total control of parliament after an opposition boycott.

Venezuela reacted to the new measures by expelling the EU's ambassador to Caracas.