THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 215 thereof,
Having regard to Council Decision 2011/357/CFSP of 20 June 2011 amending Decision 2010/639/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against certain officials of Belarus,
Having regard to the joint proposal of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the European Commission,
Whereas:
(1)
Council Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 of 18 May 2006 provides for a freezing of the assets of President Lukashenko and certain officials of Belarus.
(2)
By Decision 2011/357/CFSP, the Council has decided to take certain additional restrictive measures in relation to Belarus, in particular by imposing an arms embargo and a prohibition on internal repression equipment.
(3)
Some elements of these measures fall within the scope of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and regulatory action at the level of the Union is therefore necessary in order to implement them, in particular with a view to ensuring their uniform application by economic operators in all Member States.
(4)
In view of the gravity of the situation in Belarus and in accordance with Council Decision 2011/357/CFSP, additional persons and entities should be included in the list of persons and entities subject to restrictive measures set out in Annex IA to Regulation (EC) No 765/2006.
(5)
Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(6)
In order to ensure that the measures in this Regulation are effective, this Regulation should enter into force immediately,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: