The EU is reportedly set to approve its first round of sanctions against officials responsible for the military coup in Myanmar on 22 March 2021. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian confirmed this was on the agenda at the next meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council whilst addressing the French Senate earlier this week. Whilst technical discussions are being finalised in Brussels, it is understood that the measures will target companies “generating revenue for,…
On 19 August 2020, members of the European Council held a video conference to discuss the situation in Belarus following the presidential election on 9 August 2020. The President of the European Council stated that the elections in Belarus were “neither free nor fair”, did not meet international standards and that the EU did not recognize the results. It was announced that the EU would shortly impose sanctions on a substantial number of individuals responsible…
On 30 July 2020, the European Council announced its decision to impose sanctions against six individuals and three entities for their involvement in various cyber-attacks. The sanctions imposed include a travel ban and an asset freeze against the sanctioned parties, which include four members of Russia’s GRU military intelligence unit and two Chinese nationals. The full text of the Council decision is available here. The sanctions mark the first time the EU has used its…
On 20 July 2020, the UK Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, announced that the UK will extend to Hong Kong an EU arms embargo that has applied to mainland China since 1989 (the “Arms Embargo”). This extension forms part of the UK Government’s response to the new Hong Kong National Security Law, and the increasing role that the UK Government claims China is exerting over law enforcement in Hong Kong. The Arms Embargo prohibits the export…