Council Decision (CFSP) 2018/293
of 26 February 2018
amending Decision (CFSP) 2016/849 concerning restrictive measures against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 29 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,
Whereas:
On 27 May 2016 the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2016/849.
On 22 December 2017 the United Nations Security Council (‘UNSC’) adopted Resolution 2397 (2017), expressing its gravest concern at the ballistic missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (‘DPRK’) of 28 November 2017 in violation of existing UNSC resolutions and the danger it poses to peace and stability in the region and beyond, and determined that there continues to exist a clear threat to international peace and security.
The UNSC acknowledged that the proceeds of the DPRK's trade in sectoral goods as well as the revenue generated from DPRK workers overseas, among others, contribute to the DPRK's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, and expressed great concern that those programmes were diverting critically needed resources away from the people of the DPRK at tremendous cost.
The UNSC decided to increase the existing restrictive measures in a number of sectors, including with regard to the supply to the DPRK of crude oil and all refined petroleum products, and introduced new prohibitions in a number of sectors, including with regard to the supply by the DPRK of food and agricultural products, machinery, electrical equipment, earth and stone, and wood, and prohibitions on the supply to the DPRK of all industrial machinery, transportation vehicles, and iron, steel and other metals.
The UNSC also provided powers to seize, inspect and freeze any vessel which is believed to be involved in the breach of existing UNSC resolutions, and to require the repatriation of all DPRK workers abroad, subject to applicable national and international law.
The entries for three persons and one entity that have been designated by the UNSC and included in Annex I to Decision (CFSP) 2016/849 should be removed from the list of persons and entities designated autonomously by the Council set out in Annex II to that Decision.
Further action by the Union is necessary to implement certain measures in this Decision.
Decision (CFSP) 2016/849 should therefore be amended accordingly,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: