Restrictive measures against Zimbabwe

SUMMARY OF:

Decision 2011/101/CFSP — concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Zimbabwe

Regulation (EC) No 314/2004 — concerning certain restrictive measures in view of the situation in Zimbabwe

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DECISION AND THE REGULATION?

The decision repeals and replaces Council Common Position 2004/161/CFSP on restrictive measures against Zimbabwe.
The regulation amends and extends the sanctions against Zimbabwe introduced by Regulation (EC) No 310/2002.

KEY POINTS

To prevent internal repression within Zimbabwe, the decision and regulation prohibit:

the sale, supply, transfer or export of arms and related materiel of all types for use in Zimbabwe, including
- weapons and ammunition
- military vehicles and equipment
- paramilitary equipment and spare parts;
the supply of technical assistance in the use of such weapons;
the provision of financing or financial assistance related to military activities in Zimbabwe, including in particular
- grants, loans and export credit insurance
- insurance and reinsurance for any sale, supply, transfer or export of arms and related military equipment.

Restrictive measures

The decision and regulation impose restrictive measures on individual members of the Zimbabwean government and any associates whose activities seriously undermine democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law in Zimbabwe.

A travel ban:
- the annex to the decision sets out the list of individuals whom Member States must prevent entering or transiting through their territories;
- the annex may be amended by a decision of the Council.
An asset freeze:
- the annex to the decision sets out the individuals whose funds and economic resources will be frozen;
- no funds or economic resources will be made available, directly or indirectly, to those individuals, companies, entities or bodies.

Specific exemptions to these measures are set out in the decision.

Appropriate measures

In addition to the above measures, the EU also imposed ‘appropriate measures’ on Zimbabwe between 2002 and 2014. These measures consisted of:

the suspension of all direct development cooperation with the government; and instead
direct support of the population in the social sectors, democratisation, respect for human rights and the rule of law, implemented through international agencies or civil-society organisations.

These measures were lifted in November 2014, with the re-engagement of the EU and its Member States in political dialogue with the Zimbabwean government and the resumption of EU bilateral development cooperation.

FROM WHEN DO THE DECISION AND THE REGULATION APPLY?

The decision has applied since 15 February 2011.
The regulation has applied since 21 February 2004.

BACKGROUND

The legal bases for these EU sanctions are Article 29 of the Treaty on European Union for the decision, and Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union for the regulation.

Zimbabwe and the EU (European External Action Service)
Sanctions policy (European External Action Service)
Sanctions: how and when the EU adopts restrictive measures (Council of the European Union).

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Council Decision 2011/101/CFSP of 15 February 2011 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Zimbabwe (OJ L 42, 16.2.2011, pp. 6-23)

Successive amendments to Decision 2011/101/CFSP have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

Council Regulation (EC) No 314/2004 of 19 February 2004 concerning certain restrictive measures in view of the situation in Zimbabwe (OJ L 55, 24.2.2004, pp. 1-13)

See consolidated version.