Pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 2664 (2022) providing for a humanitarian exemption to asset freezing measures under UN sanctions regimes, the EU Council decided on Friday 31 March to amend several acts concerning EU restrictive measures.
The humanitarian exemption allows certain categories of humanitarian actors - including UN programmes and non-governmental organisations involved in UN humanitarian response plans - to conduct transactions with individuals and entities subject to sanctions without prior authorisation, if the purpose is to provide humanitarian assistance or to support other activities addressing basic human needs.
This EU Council decision completes the introduction of this exemption in 14 UN sanctions regimes transposed into EU law. The exemption also applies to EU autonomous lists that complement UN designations.
This will provide a clear framework for operators to benefit from the humanitarian exemption without distinguishing between the EU and UN lists.
“This decision sends a strong signal to humanitarian and economic operators: EU sanctions do not stand in the way of delivering humanitarian assistance. It demonstrates the EU’s steadfast determination to avoid unintended negative consequences of sanctions on humanitarian activities, and the importance given to the full adherence to international law in the EU’s sanctions policy”, the EU Council underlines in a statement. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)