Council Decision 2011/273/CFSP of 9 May 2011 concerning restrictive measures against Syria

• Coming into Force: 09 May 2011
• End of Effective Date: 30 November 2011
• Celex Number: 32011D0273
• ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2011/273/oj
• Published date: 10 May 2011
• Date: 09 May 2011
• Official Gazette Publication: Official Journal of the European Union, L 121, 10 May 2011

10.5.2011 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 121/11

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COUNCIL DECISION 2011/273/CFSP

of 9 May 2011

concerning restrictive measures against Syria

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 29 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) On 29 April 2011, the European Union expressed its grave concern about the situation unfolding in Syria and the deployment of military and security forces in a number of Syrian cities.

(2) The Union strongly condemned the violent repression, including through the use of live ammunition, of peaceful protest in various locations across Syria resulting in the death of several demonstrators, wounded persons and arbitrary detentions, and called on the Syrian security forces to exercise restraint instead of repression.

(3) In view of the seriousness of the situation, restrictive measures should be imposed against Syria and against persons responsible for the violent repression against the civilian population in Syria.

(4) Further action by the Union is needed in order to implement certain measures,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

1. The sale, supply, transfer or export of arms and related matériel of all types, including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment and spare parts for the aforementioned, as well as equipment which might be used for internal repression, to Syria by nationals of Member States or from the territories of Member States or using their flag vessels or aircraft, shall be prohibited, whether originating or not in their territories.

2. It shall be prohibited to:

(a) provide, directly or indirectly, technical assistance, brokering services or other services related to the items referred to in paragraph 1 or related to the provision, manufacture, maintenance and use of such items, to any natural or legal person, entity or body in, or for use in, Syria;

(b) provide, directly or indirectly, financing or financial assistance related to the items referred to in paragraph 1, including in particular grants, loans and export credit insurance, for any sale, supply, transfer or export of such items, or for the provision of related technical assistance, brokering services or other services to any natural or legal person, entity or body in, or for use in, Syria;

(c) participate, knowingly and intentionally, in activities, the object or effect of which is to circumvent the prohibitions referred to in points (a) or (b).

Article 2

1. Article 1 shall not apply to:

(a) supplies and technical assistance intended solely for the support of or use by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF);

(b) the sale, supply, transfer or export of non-lethal military equipment or of equipment which might be used for internal repression, intended solely for humanitarian or protective use, or for institution building programmes of the United Nations (UN) and the European Union, or for European Union and UN crisis management operations;

(c) the sale, supply, transfer or export of non-combat vehicles which have been manufactured or fitted with materials to provide ballistic protection, intended solely for the protective use of personnel of the European Union and its Member States in Syria;

(d) the provision of technical assistance, brokering services and other services related to such equipment or to such programmes and operations;

(e) the provision of financing and financial assistance related to such equipment or to such programmes and operations;

on condition that such exports and assistance have been approved in advance by the relevant competent authority.

2. Article 1 shall not apply to protective clothing, including flak jackets and military helmets, temporarily exported to Syria by UN personnel, personnel of the European Union or its Member States, representatives of the media and humanitarian and development workers and associated personnel for their personal use only.

Article 3

1. Member States shall take the necessary measures to prevent the entry into, or transit through, their territories of the persons responsible for the violent repression against the civilian population in Syria, and persons associated with them, as listed in the Annex.

2. Paragraph 1 shall not oblige a Member State to refuse its own nationals entry into its territory.

3. Paragraph 1 shall be without prejudice to the cases where a Member State is bound by an obligation of international law, namely:

(a) as a host country to an international intergovernmental organisation;

(b) as a host country to an international conference convened by, or under the auspices of, the UN;

(c) under a multilateral agreement conferring privileges and immunities; or

(d) under the 1929 Treaty of Conciliation (Lateran pact) concluded by the Holy See (State of the Vatican City) and Italy.

4. Paragraph 3 shall be considered as also applying in cases where a Member State is host country to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

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