Sanctions: Additional listings to the Sanction Decree Human Rights Violations
With a focus on human rights violations and abuses against women, the Council of the European Union (hereinafter: Council) has adopted Regulation (EU) 2023/500 and Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/501 on 7 March 2023. The adopted Regulation and Decision further implement the restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses in Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 and Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 of 7 December 2020.
The Council has included nine persons and three entities in the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies that are subject to restrictive measures. Consequently, the lists of its previous Regulation ((EU) 2020/1998) and Decision ((CFSP) 2020/1999) were amended accordingly.
By doing so, the Council has actively taken a stand against sexual and gender-based violence, occurring offline or online, including conflict related sexual violence. These measures aim to ensure that individuals are held accountable for their crimes and to combat impunity.
Relation to the national sanctions regime
The Sanction Decree Human Rights Violations (Landsbesluit houdende algemene maatregelen, het Sanctiebesluit mensenrechtenschendingen, van 11 februari 2021 ter uitvoering van artikelen 2 en 2a van de Sanctieverordening 2006, AB 2021 no. 30), implements the restrictive measures of the Council Regulation and Decision of 11 February 2021 (see “Invoering Sanctiebesluit mensenrechtenschendingen (AB 2021 no. 30)”, 12 March 2021). Furthermore, with its most recent Regulation and Decision of 7 March 2023 the Council has listed additional persons and entities that are subject to restrictive measures.
In accordance with the Sanction Decree Human Rights Violations, all funds and assets of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies involved in serious violations of human rights that have been listed in the Council’s most recent Regulation and Decision, are subject to freezing measures.
Responsibility of reporting entities
Pursuant to article 5, paragraph 3 of the Sanction Decree Human Rights Violations, in conjunction with the “Aanwijzing EU Sancties Bevriezingsmaatregelen” and “Aanwijzing Sanctiebesluit mensenrechtenschendingen AB 2021 no. 30” , all intended and performed transactions for or on behalf of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies that have been listed must be reported in an unusual transaction report to FIU-Aruba. This report must be submitted promptly and under the objective indicator 130102 (article 2, paragraph 1, section b Regulation indicators unusual transactions).
FIU-Aruba reiterates the importance of conducting a ‘sanctions-check’ to determine whether transaction(s) must be reported objectively under indicator 130102 (see in particular: “Aanwijzing geconsolideerde lijst VNSC” and “Aanwijzing EU Sancties Bevriezingsmaatregelen”) and to determine whether national freezing measures are applicable.
Click on the links below to find press releases in relation to the most recent listings:
- Council of the European Union
- Dutch press (NOS)
https://nos.nl/artikel/2466534-eu-legt-zwarte-lijst-met-daders-seksueel-geweld-tegen-vrouwen-aan
