EU court confirms legality of ban on legal advice for Russian companies
Illustrative photo (Getty Images)
The General Court of the European Union has confirmed the ban's legality on providing legal advice to the Russian government and organizations based in Russia. This decision is part of the EU sanctions imposed in response to Russia's aggression against Ukraine, according to Der Standard.
Bar associations from Belgium, France, and the Netherlands filed lawsuits against this ban. However, the EU Court rejected their complaints, stating that the ban does not violate the right to legal defense or affect individuals' legal representation in judicial, administrative, or arbitration proceedings.
The ban exclusively concerns legal consultations unrelated to court cases and is aimed at increasing pressure on Russia as part of the EU's sanctions.
Sanctions against Russia
In October 2022, the European Union imposed its eighth package of sanctions, which banned IT consulting, legal consultations, architectural, and engineering services for Russian companies.
The United Kingdom introduced a similar ban on consulting in 2023. At that time, London banned individuals and legal entities associated with the Kremlin from accessing British legal expertise.
Additionally, this year, the United States prohibited American companies from providing IT consulting, design, support, and cloud services to any legal entities in Russia.
