Council Common Position 2009/314/CFSP

of 6 April 2009

amending Common Position 2006/276/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against certain officials of Belarus, and repealing Common Position 2008/844/CFSP

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 15 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) On 10 April 2006, the Council adopted Common Position 2006/276/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against certain officials of Belarus [1].

(2) Council Common Position 2008/844/CFSP of 10 November 2008 amending Common Position 2006/276/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against certain officials of Belarus [2] extended the restrictive measures provided for by Common Position 2006/276/CFSP until 13 October 2009. However, the travel restrictions imposed on certain leading figures in Belarus, with the exception of those involved in the disappearances which occurred in 1999 and 2000 and of the President of the Central Electoral Commission, were suspended until 13 April 2009.

(3) In order to encourage the adoption and implementation of further concrete measures towards democracy and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Belarus, the Council agreed on 16 March 2009 that, whilst the restrictive measures provided for by Common Position 2006/276/CFSP would be extended for one year from that date, the suspension of the application of the travel restrictions imposed on certain officials of Belarus would be maintained for a period of nine months. Before the end of that period, the Council will conduct an in-depth review of the restrictive measures taking into account the situation in Belarus, and provided that there are further positive developments, it will be ready to consider the possibility of lifting the restrictive measures. At any time, the Council may decide to re-apply the travel restrictions if necessary, in the light of the actions of the Belarusian authorities in the sphere of democracy and human rights.

(4) Common Position 2006/276/CFSP should therefore be amended and Common Position 2008/844/CFSP repealed,

HAS ADOPTED THIS COMMON POSITION:

Article 1

Common Position 2006/276/CFSP is hereby extended until 15 March 2010.

Article 2

1. The measures referred to in Article 1(1)(b) of Common Position 2006/276/CFSP, insofar as they apply to Mr Yuri Nikola?evich Podobed, are hereby suspended until 15 December 2009.

2. The measures referred to in Article 1(1)(c) of Common Position 2006/276/CFSP are hereby suspended until 15 December 2009.

Article 3

This Common Position shall be re-examined before 15 December 2009 in the light of the situation in Belarus.

Article 4

Common Position 2008/844/CFSP is hereby repealed.

Article 5

This Common Position shall take effect on the date of its adoption.

Article 6

This Common Position shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Luxembourg, 6 April 2009.

For the Council

The President

J. Pospí?il

[1] OJ L 101, 11.4.2006, p. 5.

[2] OJ L 300, 11.11.2008, p. 56.

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