EU imposes first chemical weapons sanctions
On 21 January, the Council of the EU imposed sanctions for the first time, on entities and persons under its new regime of restrictive measures against the use and proliferation of chemical weapons. Amongst the designations are included individuals believed responsible for the poisoning of members of the Skripal family in Salisbury, England. Those individuals have already been designated by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (‘OFAC’).
The Council said: ‘[T]he designations include the two GRU officials, and the Head and Deputy Head of the GRU (also known as the G.U., or the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces) responsible for possession, transport and use in Salisbury (UK) of a toxic nerve agent on the weekend of 4 March 2018.
‘Sanctions are also imposed on the Syrian entity responsible for the development and production of chemical weapons, the Scientific Studies and Research Centre (SSRC), as well as five Syrian officials directly involved in the SSRC’s activities.’
It says that the designations, which impose a travel ban and asset freeze, contribute ‘to the EU’s efforts to counter the proliferation and use of chemical weapons which poses a serious threat to international security.’
The Council Decision is at:
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32019D0086&from=en
