Restrictive measures in view of the situation in Guinea-Bissau

KEY POINTS

The decision and the regulation, which have been amended numerous times, require EU Member States to take measures to:

• prevent the entry into, or transit through, their territories of persons and their associates identified by the United Nations Security Council or United Nations Sanctions Committee as engaging in or providing support for acts that threaten the peace, stability or security of Guinea-Bissau (Annex I), along with those identified autonomously by the Council of the European Union (Annex II);
• freeze all funds and economic resources belonging to, owned, held or controlled by persons listed in Annex III;
• prohibit the provision of funds or economic resources to those same persons.

A list of the persons subject to these restrictive measures is set out in annexes to the decision and regulation. The Council decides on changes to those lists.

Derogations

The decision and the regulation both contain derogations from these measures, which include:

• the release of certain frozen assets for legitimate purposes;
• travel on humanitarian grounds.

Humanitarian exemptions

In July 2023, having reviewed the measures in view of the situation in Guinea-Bissau, the Council concluded that a humanitarian exemption applicable to certain people or entities, as listed in United Nations Security Council Resolution 2664 (2022), should be introduced in relation to the EU’s complementary measures concerning the freezing of funds and economic resources. Accordingly, Decision (CFSP) 2023/1598 and Regulation (EU) 2023/1593 amend Decision 2012/285/CFSP and Regulation (EU) No 377/2012 respectively.