11.2.2014

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 40/63

(1)

On 31 May 2013, the Council adopted Decision 2013/255/CFSP.

(2)

It is necessary to introduce in Decision 2013/255/CFSP an exemption from the asset freeze to allow the release of funds and economic resources of the Central Bank of Syria and of Syrian State-owned entities in order to make payments on behalf of the Syrian Arab Republic to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for activities related to the OPCW verification mission and the destruction of Syrian chemical weapons, and in particular to the OPCW Syrian Special Trust Fund for activities related to the complete destruction of Syrian chemical weapons outside the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic.

(3)

Further action by the Union is needed in order to implement certain measures.

(4)

Decision 2013/255/CFSP should be amended accordingly,

‘�h)

intended for the Central Bank of Syria or Syrian State-owned entities, as listed in Annex I and II, to make payments on behalf of the Syrian Arab Republic to the OPCW for activities related to the OPCW verification mission and the destruction of Syrian chemical weapons, and in particular to the OPCW Syrian Special Trust Fund for activities related to the complete destruction of Syrian chemical weapons outside the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic.‘�