Council Regulation (EU) 2025/903 of 13 May 2025 amending Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 215 thereof,

Having regard to Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP of 17 March 2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine (1),

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

Whereas:

(1) Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 (2) gives effect to restrictive measures provided for in Decision 2014/145/CFSP.

(2) On 13 May 2025, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2025/904 (3), amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP. Decision (CFSP) 2025/904 introduces a new listing criterion to include natural or legal persons, entities or bodies that have participated in or enabled transfers of ownership, control or economic benefit of the business interests of leading businesspersons operating in Russia.

(3) Decision (CFSP) 2025/904 also sets outs the burden of proof required for the Council to maintain the inclusion of leading businesspersons on the list of natural or legal persons, entities or bodies subject to restrictive measures.

(4) These measures fall within the scope of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and therefore, in particular with a view to ensuring their uniform application in all Member States, regulatory action at the level of the Union is necessary.

(5) Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

In Regulation (EU) No 269/2014, Article 3 is amended as follows:

(2) the following paragraph is inserted: ‘1b.   Leading businesspersons operating in Russia listed in Annex I pursuant to paragraph 1, point (g), who claim to have transferred ownership, control or economic benefit of their business interests on or after 24 February 2022 shall continue to be considered as leading businesspersons and maintained in the list set out in Annex I, unless sufficient, recent and reliable information demonstrates that they no longer meet the criterion set out in paragraph 1, point (g).’.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that 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, 13 May 2025.

For the Council The President A. DOMAŃSKI

(1) OJ L 78, 17.3.2014, p. 16, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2014/145(1)/oj.

(2) Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 of 17 March 2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine (OJ L 78, 17.3.2014, p. 6, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2014/269/oj).

(3) Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/904 of 13 May 2025 amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine (OJ L, 2025/904, 14.5.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/904/oj).