ArmInfo. Changes have been made to the statement by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell on another one-year extension of the EU's restrictive measures within the framework of the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, or the so-called European Magnitsky Act.
In particular, the part of the text where it was mentioned that Armenia and Azerbaijan also supported the proposal to extend the restrictive measures was removed.
As ArmInfo previously reported, Borrell's statement noted that a number of countries outside the European Union, including Armenia and Azerbaijan, joined the decision of the EU Council on the next extension for a year of the EU's restrictive measures within the framework of the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime.
"The Council extended the application of Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 until 8 December 2026. "The Council renewed the existing restrictive measures for a further twelve months, until 8 December 2024, and amends the list of persons and entities subject to restrictive measures as set out in the Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999.
"The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Armenia and Azerbaijan align themselves with this Council Decision. "They will ensure that their national policies conform to this Council Decision.
"The European Union takes note of this commitment and welcomes it," Borrell said in a statement.
As the EU Council notes, there are currently 67 people and 20 companies and organizations on the blacklist of human rights violators. Those on the sanctions list are prohibited from entering the EU, and their assets in Europe are frozen. In addition, individuals and legal entities in the European Union are prohibited from providing funds to these people and companies. As part of this regime, a ban on entry into the EU and the freezing of financial assets on the territory of EU countries have been introduced against citizens, security forces and companies from Iran, China, North Korea, Russia, Syria and other countries.
The EU sanctions list for human rights violations around the world was established on December 7, 2020.
The EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, or the EU Magnitsky Act, allows Brussels to "prosecute individuals, organizations and bodies, including state and non-state actors, responsible for, involved in or linked to serious human rights violations and abuses around the world."
In parallel with this statement, the EU foreign policy service issued two more with almost identical text: on the accession of non-EU countries to the decisions of the EU Council on the extension of sanctions against the DPRK and sanctions against the leadership of Transnistria. The same countries, except Armenia and Azerbaijan, plus Serbia and Georgia, joined the sanctions against the DPRK. Azerbaijan, Armenia, Iceland, and Serbia did not join the sanctions against Transnistria.