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

App Provides Opportunity to Explore and Stay Fit

App Provides Opportunity to Explore and Stay Fit

A retired telecoms worker from Belgium is among those behind an innovative smartphone app  that aims to keep you fit and discover “hidden gems” all over the world.
Philippe Pleckspaen helped launch “Jooks”, an application that helps you navigate your way around a locality, spotlighting places of interest.
The idea is that users do this while running or cycling at the same time but the device can

Read More

Bible Dictionary, Volume 2

Bible Dictionary, Volume 2

Akeldama Field of Blood
Akeldama (Aramaic: חֲקַל דְּמָא — Hăqal Dəmā’, Greek: Ἁκελδαμά), or Field of Blood, is the place in Jerusalem where, according to the New Testament, Judas Iscariot was buried or where a field was purchased with the money he received for betraying Jesus Christ. The name comes from Aramaic and means “field of blood”.
Usage in Scripture: In Matthew 27:3–8, after betraying Je

Read More

Former Kyiv Commander Says NATO is Outdated for Ukraine

Former Kyiv Commander Says NATO is Outdated for Ukraine

Russia has significantly altered its military forces due to war pressures, causing concern among politicians and intelligence officials that it might attack a NATO country by decade’s end.
Zaluzhnyi’s unusual criticism highlights a shift in the alliance’s relationship with Ukraine. The nation has evolved from depending on European military aid in the early war years to becoming o

Read More

Some MEPs call for EU Parliament to reconvene over Ceuta crisis

Some MEPs call for EU Parliament to reconvene over Ceuta crisis

Some MEPs have formally requested that the European Parliament be convened on an “exceptional basis” for an urgent debate on the migration crisis in Ceuta.
This, they say, should be with the participation of the Council and the European Commission.
The parliament is currently in recess for the summer and reconvening would be an exceptional step.
The extraordinary surge of arrivals has left at le

Read More

Europe Tries to Break Its Palantir Habit — But Can It?

Europe Tries to Break Its Palantir Habit — But Can It?

A quiet rebellion is unfolding across European capitals against one of Silicon Valley’s leading data companies. Authorities in countries such as France, Germany, and Spain are taking steps to reduce their dependence on Palantir Technologies, the American data-analytics firm deeply embedded in the continent’s policing, defense, health, and intelligence sectors—and they are finding it challenging t

Read More

Channel Rescue Highlights Burnham’s Border Promise

Channel Rescue Highlights Burnham’s Border Promise

On Tuesday morning, French maritime authorities reported that the boat’s engine “caught fire” and its structure quickly deteriorated, prompting an urgent mayday call.
All 157 people on board were safely rescued and returned to Boulogne-sur-Mer in France.
The French maritime prefecture noted that migrants determined to reach the United Kingdom often refuse assistance unless in “situations of extre

Read More

Morocco Names Key Highway After Donald Trump

Morocco Names Key Highway After Donald Trump

Morocco has renamed a major highway in honor of former US President Donald Trump, following the US recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in 2020. The confirmation came from King Mohammed VI and was reported by the BBC. Trump had announced the decision on social media, supported by a letter from King Mohammed VI expressing respect for Trump. The Tiznit-Dakhla highway traverses We

Read More

The Farage-Lowe Drama Engulfing the British Right

The Farage-Lowe Drama Engulfing the British Right

At the Makerfield by-election, where Labour’s Andy Burnham emerged victorious shortly before becoming the British prime minister, Restore Britain earned 6.8 percent to Reform’s 34.5 percent. Even though their combined efforts wouldn’t have overcome Burnham, Farage criticized the outcome, asking Restore voters: “What do you want?”
A similar trend was observed at last week’s Greate

Read More

25 New Sites Added to UNESCO World Heritage List

25 New Sites Added to UNESCO World Heritage List

The World Heritage Committee concluded its 48th session in Busan, Republic of Korea, by adding 25 new sites to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. All inscriptions were made by consensus, highlighting the cooperative nature of the 1972 World Heritage Convention. This session marks the first inscriptions for Comoros, São Tomé and Príncipe, and South Sudan, emphasizing UNESCO’s dedication to

Read More

Can Europe Manage the Ceuta Consequences?

Can Europe Manage the Ceuta Consequences?

Home affairs ministers are gathering this morning amid the ongoing impact of the Ceuta crisis in Europe.
The recent sudden influx of migrants into the Spanish exclave — most of whom have since returned — led to intense discussions among European leaders. In the show, hosts Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart discuss whether today’s emergency meeting can ease tensions and what measures the Comm

Read More