Brussels, 18/12/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 17 December, the Swedish Presidency of the EU welcomed the adoption, that same day, of a resolution by the United Nations Security Council, which improves the regime of sanctions against persons with a link to terrorism. "The European Union (...) welcomes the adoption (...) of Security Council resolution 1904 (2009) and the significant improvement it brings to the sanctions regime against Al Qaeda and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities", reads a press release by the Presidency. This resolution brings in many new elements referring to the procedures for inclusion on the list of individuals and entities and for removal from this list, the most noteworthy of which concerns the creation of an independent and impartial ombudsman tasked with examining removal requests in respect of individuals and entities. This element should be considered a "significant step forward" in the ongoing efforts of the Security Council to ensure that clear and fair procedures are in place for the inclusion of individuals and entities on the list drawn up in application of resolution 1267 and for their removal from this list, the press release continues. European Parliament has on a number of occasions criticised the fact that the procedures for inclusion on and removal from the lists in the framework of the sanctions systems of the United Nations and of the European Union do not do enough to ensure proper protection of fundamental rights or sufficient legal security (EUROPE 10042). (B.C./trans.fl)