EU restrictive measures in view of the situation in Russia

KEY POINTS

Decision (CFSP) 2024/1484:

• sets out the political context and policy reasons for the restrictive measures that are listed in the below regulation;
• instructs Member States to apply a travel ban on people who:
  • are responsible for serious violations, abuses of human rights, the repression of civil society or democratic opposition, or the undermining of democracy and the rule of law in Russia,
  • provide financial, technical or material support or are involved in planning, directing, assisting or encouraging such acts,
  • are associated with the names identified in the Annex, which lists the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation and 19 individuals, mainly judges, prosecutors and members of the judiciary;
• allows Member States to apply exemptions on humanitarian, diplomatic or judicial grounds;
• freezes all funds and economic resources held by persons named in the Annex, while allowing some flexibility;
• urges non-EU countries to adopt similar restrictive measures.

Regulation (EU) 2024/1485:

• bans, with some limited exemptions for humanitarian, protective or diplomatic use:
  • the sale, supply, transfer or export to Russia of equipment, such as firearms, explosives and razor wire, that could be used for internal repression (Annex I contains a detailed list),
  • technical assistance, brokering services, finance and insurance for any of the prohibited items;
• prohibits the sale, supply, transfer or export to Russia of information security and telecommunications equipment, technology or software (Annex II lists the banned items) and any ancillary services, unless an EU Member State has given prior authorisation;
• freezes all funds and economic resources¹ held by individuals or bodies either directly responsible for or closely involved with serious human rights violations;
• Annex IV contains the subjects’ names, identification data and reasons for their inclusion (the list is the same as first adopted in the Council of the European Union decision above and inserted into that decision’s Annex by amending Regulation (EU) 2024/1488); the Council, acting unanimously, may add further names;
• allows EU authorities to release certain frozen funds in specific circumstances, such as basic personal needs or humanitarian assistance;
• calls on natural and legal persons, entities and bodies to supply any information relevant for compliance with the regulation and to cooperate with the appropriate authorities;
• prohibits any attempt to circumvent the restrictive measures;
• requires those listed in Annex IV to report their financial resources within six weeks – failure to do so is a violation of the regulation and subject to national penalties;
• applies to:
  • EU territory, including its airspace,
  • aircraft and vessels under a Member State’s jurisdiction,
  • Member State nationals whether inside or outside EU territory,
  • legal persons, entities or bodies incorporated or constituted under the law of a Member State or doing business in whole or in part of the EU.