Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2124 of 2 December 2021 implementing Article 8a(1) of Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 concerning restrictive measures in respect of Belarus

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 of 18 May 2006 concerning restrictive measures in respect of Belarus (1), and in particular Article 8a(1) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Whereas:

(1) On 18 May 2006, the Council adopted Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 concerning restrictive measures in respect of Belarus.

(2) On 21 and 22 October 2021, the European Council adopted conclusions in which it declared that it will not accept any attempt by third countries to instrumentalise migrants for political purposes, condemned all hybrid attacks at the Union’s borders and affirmed that it will respond accordingly. It underlined that the Union will continue countering the ongoing hybrid attack launched by the Belarusian regime, including by adopting further restrictive measures against persons and legal entities, in line with its gradual approach, as a matter of urgency.

(3) In its Decision (CFSP) 2021/1990 (2) of 15 November 2021, the Council amended the designation criteria in its Decision 2012/642/CFSP (3) to allow for the application of targeted restrictive measures against natural or legal persons, entities or bodies organising or contributing to activities by the Lukashenka regime that facilitate the illegal crossing of the external borders of the Union or the transfer of prohibited goods and the illegal transfer of restricted goods, including hazardous goods, into the territory of a Member State.

(4) In view of the gravity of the situation in Belarus, 17 persons and 11 entities should be included in the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures set out in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 765/2006.

(5) Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 is hereby amended as set out in the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 2 December 2021.

For the Council The President J. VRTOVEC

(1) OJ L 134, 20.5.2006, p. 1.

(2) Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/1990 of 15 November 2021 amending Decision 2012/642/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus (OJ L 405, 16.11.2021, p. 10).

(3) Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP of 15 October 2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus (OJ L 285, 17.10.2012, p. 1).