The Court of Justice has issued a preliminary ruling arising from the criminal conviction in Germany of an individual who was stopped at Frankfurt Airport in May 2022 attempting to export €13,800 in cash to Russia.
The individual’s argument was that the funds fell within the “personal use” exception in article 5i(2)(a) of regulation 833/2014, as they were for intended for various medical procedures including dental treatment, fertility treatment and plastic surgery.
The Court of Justice has decided that a “strict interpretation of th[e] exception” was appropriate, that medical treatments do not fall within the exception, and that the exception was for “cash necessary to obtain essential goods and services in order to meet their needs during their travel and stay in Russia”.
The reference to the CJEU was from the Oberlandesgericht Frankfurt am Main, which was hearing an appeal from the original conviction.