14/12/2020 (Agence Europe) – The Council of the EU decided on the evening of Friday 11 December to extend the existing targeted sanctions against a number of prominent figures in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for a further year, until 12 December 2021. The decision was taken on the basis of an assessment of the situation in the country. The assets freeze and a ban on entry into the European Union for 11 persons were maintained. The sanctions were imposed in December 2016 in response, inter alia, to human rights violations. They were last renewed and modified last year (see EUROPE 12386/2). The EU Council stated that it will re-examine these individual restrictive measures in light of the evolution of the situation and that it is prepared to modify them accordingly. (AN)