The Foreign Affairs Council on Monday 26 February is expected to ask the European Commission to prepare targeted measures and strengthen its arms embargo, in connection with the human rights situation in Burma.
In October 2017, the Council threatened to take further measures if the situation did not improve in the country (see EUROPE 11884).
According to draft conclusions obtained by EUROPE, "the Council invites the High Representative to make proposals for targeted restrictive measures against senior military officers of the Myanmar armed forces (Tatmadaw) responsible for serious and systematic human rights violations without delay". The European Parliament called for such sanctions back in December (see EUROPE 11926).
Furthermore, while confirming the relevance of the current embargo on weapons and equipment that can be used for internal repression, the Council is expected to invite the High Representative "to make a proposal for the extension thereof and to present concrete options for its strengthening without delay". According to the draft conclusions, this position can be justified by the "disproportionate use of force and widespread and systematic grave human rights violations committed by the military and security forces, including sexual and gender based violence and killings and the continuous climate of impunity, fear and insecurity in Rakhine State". Moreover, the EU and its member states intend to reduce practical cooperation on defence "to the strict minimum with the sole purpose of strengthening democratic principles, the respect of human rights and the rule of law", the draft adds.
The Council is also expected to ask the Commission to step up contact with the Burmese government "in light of the provisions" of the Everything But Arms (EBA) regulation (Regulation No. 978/2012), in which one of the main components for granting trade preferences is the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
The draft conclusions, adopted at the meeting of ambassadors of the Political and Security Committee (PSC) on 20 February, will be debated in a meeting of the ambassadors (Coreper) on Wednesday 21 February, with the objective of the ministers adopting the conclusions on Monday 26 February. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)