EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 1210/2003 imposed certain restrictive measures in respect of Iraq, in accordance with Common Position 2003/495/CFSP and UN Security Council Resolution 1483 (2003). Article 4 of the Regulation freezes in particular the funds and economic resources of Saddam Hussein and other senior officials of the former Iraqi regime. In line with paragraph 23 of UNSC Resolution 1483 (2003) the Regulation allows the Member States to unfreeze such funds and economic resources for the purpose of their transfer to the Development Fund for Iraq.

(2) On 15 December 2010, the UNSC adopted Resolution 1956 (2010) by which it decided at paragraph 5 that the full proceeds from the Development Fund for Iraq should be transferred to the Government of Iraq’s successor arrangements account or accounts and that the Development Fund for Iraq should be terminated no later than 30 June 2011.

(3) In accordance with Council Decision 2012/…/CFSP, Regulation (EC) No 1210/2003 should therefore be amended accordingly, in order to permit the transfer of frozen funds, other financial assets or economic resources to the successor arrangements to the Development Fund for Iraq put in place by the Government of Iraq under the conditions set out in UNSC Resolutions 1483 (2003) and 1956 (2010).

2012/0369 (NLE)

Joint Proposal for a

COUNCIL REGULATION

amending Regulation (EC) No 1210/2003 concerning certain specific restrictions on economic and financial relations with Iraq

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 Council Decision 2012/…/CFSP amending Common Position 2003/495/CFSP on Iraq[1],

Having regard to the joint proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Commission,

Whereas:

(1) In line with United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1483 (2003), Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1210/2003 of 7 July 2003 concerning certain specific restrictions on economic and financial relations with Iraq and repealing Regulation (EC) No 2465/96[2] freezes in particular the funds and economic resources of Saddam Hussein and other senior officials of the former Iraqi regime.

(2) In accordance with paragraph 23 of UNSC Resolution 1483 (2003), Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1210/2003 allows the Member States to unfreeze such funds and economic resources for the purpose of their transfer to the Development Fund for Iraq.

(3) On 15 December 2010, the UNSC adopted Resolution 1956 (2010) by which it decided at paragraph 5 that the full proceeds from the Development Fund for Iraq should be transferred to the Government of Iraq’s successor arrangements account or accounts and that the Development Fund for Iraq should be terminated no later than 30 June 2011.

(4) Regulation (EC) No 1210/2003 should therefore be amended to permit the transfer of frozen funds, other financial assets or economic resources to the successor arrangements to the Development Fund for Iraq put in place by the Government of Iraq under the conditions set out in UNSC Resolutions 1483 (2003) and 1956 (2010).

(5) It is also appropriate to update Regulation (EC) No 1210/2003 with recent information provided by the Member States regarding the identification of competent authorities and the address of the European Commission.

(6) Regulation (EC) No 1210/2003 should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Council Regulation (EC) No 1210/2003 is amended as follows:

(1) In Article 6, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:

2. In all other circumstances, funds, economic resources and proceeds of economic resources frozen pursuant to Article 4 shall only be unfrozen for the purpose of their transfer to the successor arrangements to the Development Fund for Iraq put in place by the Government of Iraq under the conditions set out in UNSC Resolutions 1483 (2003) and 1956 (2010).

(2) Annex V is replaced by the text set out in the Annex to this Regulation.

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,

For the Council

The President

ANNEX

"ANNEX V

Websites for information on the competent authorities referred to in Articles 6, 7 and 8 and address for notifications to the European Commission

A. Competent authorities in each Member State:

BELGIUM

http://www.diplomatie.be/eusanctions

BULGARIA

http://www.mfa.bg/en/pages/135/index.html

CZECH REPUBLIC

http://www.mfcr.cz/mezinarodnisankce

DENMARK

http://um.dk/da/politik-og-diplomati/retsorden/sanktioner/

GERMANY

http://www.bmwi.de/BMWi/Navigation/Aussenwirtschaft/Aussenwirtschaftsrecht/embargos.html

ESTONIA

http://www.vm.ee/est/kat_622/

IRELAND

http://www.dfa.ie/home/index.aspx?id=28519

GREECE

http://www.mfa.gr/en/foreign-policy/global-issues/international-sanctions.html

SPAIN

http://www.maec.es/es/MenuPpal/Asuntos/Sanciones%20Internacionales/Paginas/Sanciones_%20Internacionales.aspx

FRANCE

http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/autorites-sanctions/

ITALY

http://www.esteri.it/MAE/IT/Politica_Europea/Deroghe.htm

CYPRUS

http://www.mfa.gov.cy/sanctions

LATVIA

http://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/security/4539

LITHUANIA

http://www.urm.lt/sanctions

LUXEMBOURG

http://www.mae.lu/sanctions

HUNGARY

http://www.kulugyminiszterium.hu/kum/hu/bal/Kulpolitikank/nemzetkozi_szankciok/

MALTA

http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/bodies/boards/sanctions_monitoring.asp

NETHERLANDS

www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/internationale-vrede-en-veiligheid/sancties

AUSTRIA

http://www.bmeia.gv.at/view.php3?f_id=12750&LNG=en&version=

POLAND

http://www.msz.gov.pl

PORTUGAL

http://www.min-nestrangeiros.pt

ROMANIA

http://www.mae.ro/node/1548 SLOVENIA

http://www.mzz.gov.si/si/zunanja_politika_in_mednarodno_pravo/zunanja_politika/mednarodna_varnost/omejevalni_ukrepi/

SLOVAKIA

http://www.foreign.gov.sk

FINLAND

http://formin.finland.fi/kvyhteistyo/pakotteet

SWEDEN

http://www.ud.se/sanktioner

UNITED KINGDOM

www.fco.gov.uk/competentauthorities

B. Address for notifications to, or other communication with, the European Commission:

European Commission

Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI)

EEAS 02/309

B-1049 Brussels

Belgium

E-mail: relex-sanctions@ec.europa.eu"

[1] OJ L … , … 2010, p. .. .

[2] OJ L 169, 8.7.2003, p. 6.