EU court upholds ban on legal services for Russian entities and individuals

The General Court of the European Union on Wednesday upheld a ban on providing legal advice to Russian entities and individuals, after Belgian and French lawyers sought to have it overturned.

EU judges in Luxembourg said the ban, which has been in place since autumn 2022, was fully justified despite criticism. The sanction is one of several imposed by Europe following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The ruling came after several bar associations, including the Dutch-speaking chapter of the Brussels bar association and the Paris bar, called for the measure to be overturned. The lawyers argued that the ban violated the fundamental right of access to legal advice.

The General Court ruled that the ban did not undermine the right to effective judicial protection

In its judgment, the General Court rejected the lawyers' arguments on the grounds that the ban did not undermine the right to effective judicial protection. The General Court argues that the prohibition applies only to the provision of legal advice by a lawyer and not to the provision of assistance by a lawyer during legal proceedings. 

Legal advice given to natural persons is not covered by the prohibition, the General Court added. The judges also ruled that the ban does not undermine professional secrecy and the independence of lawyers, as the lawyers had argued.

^{© PHOTO HANDOUT COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION}