The EU Court dismisses Russia Today’s lawsuit in France for banning its broadcast in the EU

BRUSSELS, July 27 (EUROPE PRESS) –

The General Court of the EU has dismissed this Wednesday the lawsuit filed by the media outlet Russia Today in France (RT France) after the temporary ban on the dissemination of its content in the European Union due to the war in Ukraine.

What is the first sentence issued by accelerated procedure, rejects the allegations of RT France of violation of the right of defense, freedom of expression, business law and the principle of non-discrimination on grounds of nationality.

The European court has considered that the extraordinary context of military aggression justifies the adoption of “extreme urgency” measures by the EU, for which the right to defense has not been violated.

In addition, the ruling states that the requirements for the limitation of freedom of expression, established by law, are met and that the measures do not infringe RT France’s right to freedom of enterprise “since they are temporary and reversible.”

With regard to the alleged violation of the principle of non-discrimination on the grounds of
nationality, the General Court has observed that the difference in treatment invoked by RT France does not fall under the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

Following Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine on February 24 this year, the European Union adopted restrictive measures to ban the broadcast of certain media outlets on the community market, including RT France.

The Council of the EU argued, at this time, that Russia was launching a propaganda campaign justifying and supporting its aggression against Ukraine and targeting the civilian population of the EU and neighboring countries. So it was considered manipulation of the facts.

Whereupon RT France filed an appeal for annulment before the General Court of the EU in which it argued that the rights of defense, freedom of expression and information, company law and the principle of non-discrimination on grounds of nationality were being violated. .

In addition, the Russian media also questioned the competence of the EU Council to adopt such a resolution.

In this regard, the European court has dismissed the complaint of the Council’s lack of jurisdiction and has ruled that the Council is free to define the objective of the restrictive measures adopted in the EU and that the body adopted such measures in the face of the great threat to peace on the borders of Europe.

In addition, the court has pointed out that the Council can include the “temporary ban on the broadcast of content by certain media financed by the Russian state” on the grounds that these media support Russian military aggression against Ukraine.