Council Regulation (EU) 2025/964 of 20 May 2025 amending Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilizing activities

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 (CFSP) 2025/963 of 20 May 2025 amending Decision (CFSP) 2024/2643 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities (1),

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

Whereas:

(1) On 8 October 2024, the Council adopted Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 (2), which gives effect to measures provided for in Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2643 (3) concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities.

(2) On 20 May 2025, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2025/963, which amends Decision (CFSP) 2024/2643.

(3) Decision (CFSP) 2025/963 introduces additional measures, inter alia amending the criteria guiding individual designations in the listings freezing assets, and the prohibition from making funds and economic resources available to listed persons bodies and entities.

(4) Those additional measures prohibit transactions with tangible assets supporting Russia-driven destabilising activities, such as vessels, aircraft, real estate, ports, airports, physical elements of digital and communication networks. Such tangible assets can include both those of a movable nature, and those of an immovable nature. The tangible assets should be adequately identifiable, in order to support the effective implementation of the prohibition.

(5) Those additional measures also prohibit broadcasting in the Union by specifically-designated media outlets. That prohibition is established against the backdrop of Russia’s involvement in a systematic, international campaign of media manipulation and distortion of facts in order to enhance its destabilising strategy against the Union and its Member States.

(6) In view of the gravity of the situation, and in response to Russia’s destabilising actions, it is necessary, consistent with the fundamental rights and freedoms recognised in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, in particular with the right to freedom of expression and information as recognised in Article 11 thereof, to suspend the broadcasting licences in the Union of the specifically-designated media outlets, and to prohibit the broadcasting of their content in the Union, or directed at the Union. Operators subject to the broadcasting prohibition are understood broadly to include natural persons and entities acting commercially or professionally, as well as those acting for economic benefit, such as online content creators, bloggers, and web influencers deriving income from advertisement, donations, or the increase in their follower base.

(7) Consistent with the fundamental rights and freedoms recognised in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, in particular with the right to freedom of expression and information, the freedom to conduct a business and the right to property as recognised in Articles 11, 16 and 17, respectively, thereof, the prohibition on broadcasting does not prevent those media outlets or their staff from carrying out activities in the Union other than broadcasting, such as research and interviews. These measures do not modify the obligation to respect the rights, freedoms and principles referred to in Article 6 of the Treaty on European Union, including in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and in Member States’ constitutions, within their respective fields of application.

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

(9) Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 is amended as follows:

(1) the title of Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 is replaced by the following: ‘Council Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 of 8 October 2024 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities’

(5) Annexes III, IV and V are added in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.

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, 20 May 2025.

For the Council The President K. KALLAS

(1) OJ L, 2025/963, 20.5.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/963/oj.

(2) Council Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 of 8 October 2024 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilizing activities (OJ L, 2024/2642, 9.10.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/2642/oj).

(3) Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2643 of 8 October 2024 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities (OJ L, 2024/2643, 9.10.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2024/2643/oj).