On Thursday 18 January, the ambassadors of the 28 EU member states gave their political agreement to taking measures against 17 North Koreans, a European source told EUROPE.
These 17 people are linked to North Korea's ballistic and nuclear programmes, and/or are facilitating Pyongyang's circumvention of United Nations sanctions, the source stated. The EU has said on several occasions that it would increase its pressure on the third countries to uphold the UN sanctions against Pyongyang (see EUROPE 11884).
These new targeted sanctions (an assets freeze and visa ban) are expected to be adopted officially, and without debate, by the EU's foreign ministers at the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday 22 January. The related legal acts are expected to be published the same day.
On 22 December, the European External Action Service (EEAS) spokesperson announced the EU would take new autonomous measures swiftly against Pyongyang (see EUROPE 11932), which was confirmed by the Council on 8 January (see EUROPE 11934) due to North Korea continuing its nuclear and ballistic programme.
In recent weeks, the Europeans have adopted several series of sanctions against North Korea, transposing UN Security Council measures (see EUROPE 11934). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)