Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain third countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/1218 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine
On 23 June 2023, the Council adopted Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/12181.
The Council Decision amended the listing criterion on circumvention to target third country operators undermining the purpose and effectiveness of EU sanctions in such a way as to contribute to Russia’s capacity to wage war. The Council Decision also extended the listing criteria in order to cover legal persons, entities, or bodies operating in the Russian IT sector that hold a license administered by the FSB or the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade. the Council Decision also added 71 persons and 33 entities responsible for actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine should be added to the list of persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures set out in the Annex to Decision 2014/145/CFSP. Decision 2014/145/CFSP should therefore be amended accordingly.
The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina2, as well as the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, 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.