MOSCOW (Sputnik), Svetlana Alexandrova — It is possible to challenge anti-Russia sanctions imposed by the West in EU courts, Konstantinos Adamantopoulos, a partner at Holman Fenwick Willan law firm, told Sputnik Wednesday.
"It is definitely possible to challenge those sanctions against the Russians in the EU. You can challenge those sanctions before the European court," Adamantopoulos said.
The lawyer added that if there was such an appeal it should be initiated within two months and 25 days from the date when the measure was introduced.
"If you are challenging it within this time deadline, any company has a right to do it and in fact, there have been cases when companies or individuals have got off the EU sanctions list. But if there is a prolongation of the sanctions, it has to be published again as an EU law and the deadline starts from that point on."
On Monday, London-based lawyer specializing in sanctions, Sarosh Zaiwalla, told the BBC that the restrictions imposed against Russia by the West in 2014 over its alleged involvement in Ukraine conflict can be successfully challenged in court.
In January 2013, the European General Court in Luxembourg ruled to annul EU sanctions imposed against Bank Mellat for allegedly funding Tehran's nuclear program.
In 2014, Mellat sued the UK government demanding a compensation of 2.3 billion pounds ($3.5 billion) for losses, as the bank was banned from trading with the United Kingdom due to sanctions imposed in 2009.
In 2015, the bank won its case against the EU Council sanctions in the General Court of the European Union and is now subject to a Council appeal.
