COUNCIL REGULATION (EU) No 298/2013
of 27 March 2013
amending Regulation (EC) No 314/2004 concerning certain restrictive measures in respect of Zimbabwe
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 215 thereof,
Having regard to the joint proposal of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and of the European Commission,
Whereas:
(1)
Council Regulation (EC) No 314/2004 (1) implements several measures provided for by Council Decision 2011/101/CFSP (2), including the freezing of funds and economic resources of certain natural or legal persons, entities and bodies.
(2)
On 23 July 2012 and 18 February 2013, the Council concluded that a peaceful and credible constitutional referendum in Zimbabwe would represent an important milestone in the preparation of democratic elections justifying an immediate suspension of the majority of all remaining EU targeted restrictive measures against individuals and entities.
(3)
In view of the outcome of the Zimbabwean constitutional referendum of 16 March 2013 the Council has decided to suspend the travel ban and asset freeze applying to the majority of the individuals and entities set out in Annex I to Decision 2011/101/CFSP. The suspension should be subject to a review by the Council every three months in light of the situation on the ground.
(4)
Some of those measures fall within the scope of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and regulatory action at the level of the Union is therefore necessary in order to implement them, in particular with a view to ensuring their uniform application by economic operators in all Member States.
(5)
Regulation (EC) No 314/2004 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(6)
In order to ensure that the measures provided for in this Regulation are effective, this Regulation must enter into force on the day following that of its publication,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
The application of Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 314/2004 is suspended until 20 February 2014 in so far as it applies to persons and entities listed in the Annex to this Regulation. The suspension shall be reviewed every three months.
Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 27 March 2013.