On 19 October 2001, the European Council declared that it was determined to combat terrorism in every form throughout the world and that it would continue its efforts to strengthen the coalition of the international community to combat terrorism in every shape and form.

On 16 January 2002, the United Nations Security Council (‘UNSC’) adopted Resolution 1390 (2002) (‘UNSCR 1390 (2002)’) which expanded the measures imposed by UNSC Resolutions 1267 (1999) (‘UNSCR 1267 (1999)’) and 1333 (2000) (‘UNSCR 1333 (2000)’) to cover Usama bin Laden and members of the Al-Qaeda organisation and other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with them, as designated by the Committee established pursuant to UNSCR 1267 (1999).

UNSCR 1390 (2002) adjusts the scope of the sanctions in regard to the freezing of funds, the visa ban and the embargo on the supply, sale or transfer of arms as well as on technical advice, assistance or training related to military activities imposed by UNSCR 1267 (1999) and UNSCR 1333 (2000).

UNSCR 1390 (2002) was adopted by the UNSC on the basis of Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, which allows the UNSC to take all necessary measures for the maintenance of international peace and security.

On 17 December 2015, the UNSC adopted Resolution 2253 (2015) (‘UNSCR 2253 (2015)’) expanding the scope of the measures imposed by UNSCR 1390 (2002) to individuals, groups, undertakings or entities associated with the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (‘ISIL (Da'esh)’) and reiterating its unequivocal condemnation of ISIL (Da'esh), Al-Qaeda and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities for ongoing and multiple criminal terrorist acts aimed at causing the deaths of innocent civilians and other victims, destruction of property and greatly undermining stability.

In that context, UNSCR 2253 (2015) re-emphasised that sanctions in support of countering terrorism are an important tool in the maintenance and restoration of international peace and security and recalled that ISIL (Da'esh) is a splinter group of Al-Qaeda and that any individual, group, undertaking or entity supporting ISIL (Da'esh) is eligible for listing by the United Nations (‘UN’).

ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaeda constitute a threat to international peace and security. Restrictive measures adopted by the Union in the context of the fight against ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaeda and persons, groups, undertakings and entities associated with them, fall within the objectives of the Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy as set out in Article 21(2)(c) of the Treaty.

In view of the threat posed by ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaeda, the Council should be able to impose targeted restrictive measures on any individual regardless of nationality or citizenship, or on any entity responsible for terrorist actions on behalf or in support of ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaeda, in accordance with the criteria set out in this Decision.

The aim of such targeted measures is to prevent actions on behalf or in support of ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaeda.

It is necessary to provide for restrictions on the entry into and transit through the territories of Member States by ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaeda and by persons associated with them, including those who are nationals of a Member State. Without prejudice to the responsibilities of Member States for safeguarding internal security, such restrictions should not prevent designated nationals of a Member State from transiting through another Member State in order to return to the Member State of their nationality, nor should they prevent designated family members of nationals of a Member State from transiting through another Member State for the same purpose.

UNSCR 1373 (2001) provides that where UN Member States have identified persons or entities as engaged in terrorist actions, appropriate measures should be taken.

At the same time, the measures implementing UNSCRs 1267 (1999), 1390 (2002) and 2253 (2015) as Union law should be amended to reflect the provisions of relevant resolutions of the UNSC.

In accordance with the case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, when the Council decides to include the name of a person or entity on the list in the Annex, it must give individual, specific and concrete reasons for doing so, and such a decision must be taken on a sufficiently solid factual basis.

For the sake of clarity and legal certainty the restrictive measures imposed by Common Position 2002/402/CFSP as amended by subsequent Decisions should be consolidated into a new legal instrument and include provisions allowing the Council to impose restrictive measures on persons and entities.

Common Position 2002/402/CFSP should therefore be repealed and replaced by this Decision.

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