Brussels, 18/02/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 18 February, the foreign ministers of the EU stepped up their sanctions against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), reiterating that the resolution of the United Nations Security Council of 22 January provides for a reinforcement of sanctions following a ballistic missile test on 12 December and considering the sanctions as a “first step” in the defence of a regime of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. In their conclusions, the ministers condemn in the strongest terms the nuclear test of 12 February and call for no new tests. They also call on Pyongyang to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty without delay.
Adopting the United Nations measures, the EU has added three entities and four people to its list of sanctions, freezing their assets and placing a visa ban on them.
Acting autonomously, Council has decided to ban the export and import of essential components for ballistic missiles to or from DPRK, as well as certain types of aluminium. The precise scope of the measure will be defined in an executing act. The transactions on new obligations of state issued by North Korea and the trade in gold, precious metals and diamonds with public bodies will be banned. The supply of new North Korean coins and notes to the North Korean Central Bank has been halted and North Korean banks will no longer be allowed to open new branches in the EU or to create joint enterprises with European financial institutions. Nor will European banks be allowed to establish offices and subsidiaries in North Korea.
These measures will be officially published in the Official Journal of 19 February.
The Council also states that it has taken measures which will “enable future restrictions against persons and entities involved in trade with the DPRK in conventional arms or nuclear and ballistic components”. It expresses its “political determination to consider further restrictive measures in consultation with key partners”, including financial measures, to prevent North Korea from continuing its nuclear and ballistics programmes. (CG/transl.fl)