EU Court Rejects Unicredit’s Request to Suspend Russian Operations

Brussels (Eurotoday) – The EU General Court has rejected UniCredit’s request to suspend the ECB’s order to reduce its Russian operations.

Why did the EU General Court reject UniCredit’s request?How is the ECB addressing UniCredit’s Russian operations concerns?

Reuters has reported that the European Union’s General Court has declined UniCredit’s request to temporarily discontinue a European Central Bank order to scale back its presence in Russia. The EU’s General Court is a constituent part of the European Court of Justice.

Why did the EU General Court reject UniCredit’s request?

The document indicates that the ECB had considerations related to terrorism financing and financial sanctions in Russia and that it found in January last year that UniCredit’s actions were not enough to counterbalance the threats. One of the ECB’s situations was a lack of access to client information kept by UniCredit subsidiaries in Russia and the impossibility of seeing the offices there for reviews, according to a summary contained in the court document.

How is the ECB addressing UniCredit’s Russian operations concerns?

European Central Bank, the lender’s chief supervisor, urged UniCredit earlier this year to additionally scale down its functions in Russia, including imposing a prohibition on new deposits and regulations on handling payments. In 2023, it also requested the bank to regard the sale of the UniCredit subsidiaries in Russia, the document reveals.  

UniCredit, a pan-European Commercial Bank, requested the EU General Court to reject the demands, which CEO Andrea Orcel expressed could breach Russian laws. UniCredit had aimed to have the actions suspended while the court proceeding is pending, and in July stated that a decision on a suspension was expected “in the coming months”. The final proceedings for the issue are still pending.

UniCredit’s links to Russia date back to its obtaining a stake in International Moscow Bank, the first Russian lender to submit funds from foreign banking institutions. Following further modifications in ownership, it was renamed AO UniCredit Bank and in 2015 was included in the list of systemically significant banks by the Bank of Russia. When Russia overran Ukraine in 2022, UniCredit remained in Russia, one of two European banks along with Austria’s Raiffeisen to keep large operations in the country.


Comments

2 responses to “EU Court Rejects Unicredit’s Request to Suspend Russian Operations”

  1. jetta talent Avatar
    jetta talent

    Looks like UniCredit’s Russian operations are getting about as much love from the EU Court as a soggy baguette at a Michelin-starred restaurant. 🍞😏 Maybe they should have brought some proper bribes—oops, I mean “incentives,” to the table!

  2. troubadour Avatar

    Looks like UniCredit’s plans for a Russian vacation just got cancelled by the EU Court—who knew a bank could be so bad at following rules? 🤷‍♂️ Guess they’ll have to stick to nice, cozy coffee breaks in Brussels instead! ☕️✨

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Last News

Record-breaking Wildfires Scorch Nearly 100,000 Hectares in France, Interior Minister Reports

Record-breaking Wildfires Scorch Nearly 100,000 Hectares in France, Interior Minister Reports

Nearly 200,000 people have been evacuated due to fires in southwestern France, including over 167,000 in Gironde, Bordeaux’s department, and around 30,000 in Landes.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Friday the activation of an EU emergency mechanism, leading countries like Portugal, Croatia, Slovakia, and Sweden to send aircraft to aid France.
“Europe stands with France an

Read More

Swiss Dairy Industry Explores New Export Markets Following US Tariff Impact on Cheese Sales

Swiss Dairy Industry Explores New Export Markets Following US Tariff Impact on Cheese Sales

Bern, Switzerland, July 25 Eurotoday Newspaper — Swiss dairy industry producers are searching for new international markets after fresh US tariff measures created challenges for one of Switzerland’s most valuable food exports. Cheesemakers are increasing efforts to strengthen sales across Europe, Asia and the Middle East while continuing to support long-standing business relationships with Ameri

Read More

Migrant Smuggling Network Using Rental Cars Dismantled Across the Balkans – Seven Suspects Arrested in Europol-Supported Operation Targeting Organized Crime Group Transporting Migrants to Italy | Europol

Migrant Smuggling Network Using Rental Cars Dismantled Across the Balkans – Seven Suspects Arrested in Europol-Supported Operation Targeting Organized Crime Group Transporting Migrants to Italy | Europol

Europol and authorities across the Balkans have successfully dismantled a migrant smuggling network that utilized rental cars to transport migrants towards Italy. This operation led to the arrest of seven suspects linked to an organized crime group. The operation received significant support from Europol, highlighting the importance of international collaboration in tackling organized crime.

Read More

Romanian Airspace Breached Twice in Two Days

Romanian Airspace Breached Twice in Two Days

Romanian fighter jets shot down two drones that violated the country’s airspace on Friday and Saturday morning.
On Saturday morning, Romanian radar detected another unauthorized drone near the Ukrainian border, which was shot down by two Romanian F-16 jets in an unpopulated area close to the border, according to the Romanian defense ministry. Romania had already shot down another drone on Friday.

Read More

Russian Missile Strike at Defense Exhibition in Ukraine Leaves 10 Dead

Russian Missile Strike at Defense Exhibition in Ukraine Leaves 10 Dead

Kyiv Region, Ukraine, July 24 Eurotoday — Defence exhibition attack claimed the lives of at least 10 people after a Russian ballistic missile struck a defence industry event in Ukraine’s Kyiv region on Friday. Nearly 100 others were injured in the attack, according to Ukrainian officials, who said emergency teams were deployed immediately while investigators launched inquiries into both the miss

Read More

AMLA Finalizes Standards for Supervisory Cooperation in Direct Supervision

AMLA Finalizes Standards for Supervisory Cooperation in Direct Supervision

AMLA has issued guidelines detailing its collaboration with national financial regulators for selecting and directly overseeing key cross-border financial institutions within the EU. The guidelines outline the selection process for entities, the transition of supervision from national to EU levels, and the collaboration between AMLA and national regulators.
Unified EU Supervision
Starting in 20

Read More

Italy’s Defense Minister Offers Adviser Position to Ousted Ukrainian Defense Chief

Italy’s Defense Minister Offers Adviser Position to Ousted Ukrainian Defense Chief

The Italian minister noted that Fedorov was “moved” by the proposal, viewing it as “a mark of respect and friendship,” but did not specify whether Fedorov accepted the offer.
Crosetto highly commended Fedorov, who is acknowledged for initiating a technology transformation in Ukraine’s military, though he has also experienced conflicts with top generals.
“Fedorov

Read More

BP Nears Deal to Sell Solar Business to Kuwait-Backed Consortium

BP Nears Deal to Sell Solar Business to Kuwait-Backed Consortium

London, 2026 — BP solar business sale discussions are nearing completion after the Financial Times reported that the energy company is close to selling its solar business to a Kuwait-backed consortium. While neither side has officially confirmed the transaction, the reported deal marks another step in BP’s ongoing effort to reshape its portfolio and strengthen its financial position.
Main Develo

Read More

NASA Unveils Why the Black Sea Appears Turquoise from Space

NASA Unveils Why the Black Sea Appears Turquoise from Space

Every late spring and early summer, the Black Sea transforms from its usual dark color to a vibrant turquoise hue, visible even from space. This year, NASA’s PACE satellite captured the phenomenon.
On June 22, PACE’s Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) recorded this seasonal event, revealing milky-blue and turquoise areas on the Black Sea’s surface. According to NASA Earth Observatory,

Read More

ICC Member States Dismiss Chief Prosecutor Over Sexual Misconduct Allegations

ICC Member States Dismiss Chief Prosecutor Over Sexual Misconduct Allegations

In an interview, she described the situation as an “escalation of attempts,” expressing fear for her job and hesitation to refuse Khan’s advances. Khan denies any misconduct and referred to the Friday vote as “unlawful, procedurally unfair and unsupported by evidence,” according to Reuters. The decision to dismiss Khan follows a U.S. administration campaign labeling t

Read More