(1)

On 15 October 2012, the Council adopted Decision 2012/642/CFSP (1) concerning restrictive measures against Belarus.

(2)

On 24 February 2022, the President of the Russian Federation announced a military operation in Ukraine, and Russian armed forces began an attack on Ukraine, including from the territory of Belarus. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.

(3)

On 2 March 2022, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2022/356 (2), which amended the title of Decision 2012/642/CFSP and introduced further restrictive measures in response to the involvement of Belarus in the Russian aggression against Ukraine.

(4)

In its conclusions of 24 March 2022, the European Council stated that the Union remains ready to move quickly with further coordinated robust sanctions on Russia and Belarus to effectively thwart Russian abilities to continue the war of aggression.

(5)

In view of the gravity of the situation, it is appropriate to expand the list of Belarusian credit institutions and their Belarusian subsidiaries subject to restrictive measures with regard to the provision of specialised financial messaging services. It is also appropriate to expand the list of entities subject to restrictions with regard to authorisations for the sale, supply, transfer or export of dual-use goods and technology, and goods and technology which might contribute to Belarus’s military and technological enhancement, or to the development of its defence and security sector.

(6)

Decision 2012/642/CFSP should therefore be amended accordingly,