Blocking Regulations

Sanctions Law Latest: Article 5 of Blocking Regulation tested for first time at the ECJ

In March 2020, the European Court of Justice was asked, for the first time, for the proper interpretation of Article 5 of the Blocking Regulation in the case of Bank Melli Iran v Telekom Deutschland GmBH.  John McKendrick QC and Alex Haines examine the Bank Melli case and Blocking Regulation below.   The Background On 28th November 2018, after US secondary sanctions on Iran came back into force earlier that month, the Hamburg District Court granted an interim injunction in Bank Melli Iran v Telekom Deutschland GmBH 319 O 265/18 on the basis of the EU Blocking Regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No 2271/96). The court ordered Deutsche Telekom, the defendant, to reinstate internet and telephone services to the claimant, Bank Melli Iran, after it had stopped services…

Legal Blog & Publications, International 3 Jun, 2020