COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 29.10.1W 
COM(97) 545 final 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) 
concerning the interruption of certain economic relations with Sierra Leone 
COMMON POSITION 
defined by the Council on the basis of Article J.2 of the Treaty on European 
Union concerning measures to be taken in relation to Sierra Leone in view of 
relevant decisions of the Security Council of the United Nations, in particular 
its Resolution 1132(1997) 
(presented by the Commission) 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
The Security Council of the United Nations adopted on 8 October 1997 Resolution 
1132 (1997) imposing sanctions on Sierra Leone with a view to resolve the crisis and 
restore the constitutional order in that country. The sanctions consist, inter alia, in a 
prohibition to supply to Sierra Leone petroleum and petroleum products. 
In order to ensure the implementation of those sanctions, which fall under the scope of 
the Treaty establishing the European Community, a Regulation has to be adopted by 
the Council on the basis of a proposal of the Commission. 
Such a proposal is hereby presented. 
With regard to individual provisions of the proposal the following comments can be 
given. 
It is proposed to use both Article 73g and Article 228a as legal basis, since it is 
assumed that financial activities or capital movements may take place, which, 
although related to the commercial transactions envisaged, may form separate 
transactions which would not fall under the scope of Article 228a. 
Since the Security Council has based its decision on sanctions against Sierra Leone on 
Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, and, therefore, the UNSC decision 
takes precedence over existing international obligations such as the Lomé Convention, 
there will exist no incompatibility of the Regulation with the provisions of the Lome 
Convention. 
Paragraph 1 of Article 1 prohibits the export to Sierra Leone of petroleum and 
petroleum products. In order to create legal certainty a precise description of the 
products with corresponding harmonised customs classification codes, is given in 
Annex I to the Regulation. The descriptions are identical to those used in the case of 
the existing sanctions against Angola, as implemented by Council Regulation (EEC) 
No 2967/93. 
Paragraph 2 contains the rather extensive prohibition of arms exports, and paragraph 3 
the usual provision to prevent circumvention in any form of the prohibition. 
A 
Article 2 provides for certain exceptions to the prohibitions. The exceptions are only 
applicable after prior consent of the UNSC Committee established under UNSC 
Resolution 1132 (1997). The Committee may, furthermore, impose additional 
requirements necessary for an effective monitoring of allowed deliveries. 
Communications with the said Committee should follow the usual route by the 
competent national authorities of Member States, whose names and addresses are to 
be found in Annex II to the Regulation. 
Article 3 establishes the rule that existing public or private legal obligations cannot be 
held against the obligations established by the Regulation. 
In order to guarantee an optimal effectiveness of the Regulation it is proposed that the 
sanctions which Member States have introduced in their legislation for cases where 
Regulation (EEC) No 2967/93 is infringed, shall remain applicable for infringements 
of the presently proposed Regulation, as long as no new national legislation regarding 
sanctions concerning the new Regulation has entered into force. (Article 4). 
With a view to a coherent sanctions policy regarding Sierra Leone it is proposed that 
the Commission and Member States inform each other of measures taken under the 
Regulation and of other relevant data. (Article 5). 
Given the chance that within the framework of the present sanctions the UN Security 
Council or the said Committee might take decisions which would make it necessary to 
change or supplement Annex I and changes or supplements might also become 
necessary in respect of names and/or addresses of the competent authorities of the 
Member States contained in Annex II, it is proposed that the Commission be 
empowered to amend or supplement Annex I on the basis of these decisions of the UN 
Security Council or said Committee, and Annex II on the basis of pertinent 
information from the competent authorities of Member States. (Article 6). 
The other Articles contain the usual provisions regarding the territorial limits of the 
applicability of the Regulation and the date of applicability. In view of an expected 
timely adoption by the Council of the Regulation and of the existing empowerment by 
the UN Security Council of ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African 
States) to inspect and verify cargoes and destinations of maritime transport moving 
into Sierra Leone, it is not thought necessary to have the Regulation to apply 
retroactively as of the date of adoption of Resolution 1132 (1997). 
£ 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No ...797 
concerning the interruption of certain economic relations with Sierra Leone 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular 
Articles 73g and 228a, 
Having regard to the common position of defined by the 
Council on the basis of Article J.2 of the Treaty on European Union concerning 
measures to be taken in relation to Sierra Leone in view of the relevant decisions of 
the Security Council of the United Nations, in particular its Resolution 1132 (1997), ') 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Whereas the United Nations Security Council, acting under Chapter VII of the Charter 
of the United Nations, decided in its Resolution 1132 (1997) that all States shall take 
certain measures with regard to Sierra Leone in order to contribute to resolving the 
crisis in Sierra Leone and obtaining the peaceful restoration of the constitutional 
order in that country, 
Whereas certain of these measures fall under the scope of the Treaty establishing the 
European Community and, therefore, Community legislation is necessary to 
implement the pertinent decisions of the Security Council as far as the territory of the 
European Community is concerned, such territory being deemed to encompass, for the 
purposes of this Regulation, the territories of the Member States to which the Treaty 
establishing the European Community is applicable, under the conditions laid down in 
that Treaty, 
1 ) OJ L.... dd p. 
Whereas the Security Council has also called upon the United Nations Member States 
to apply these measures notwithstanding the existence of any right or obligations 
conferred or imposed by any international agreement signed, any contract entered into 
or any licence or permit granted before the adoption of said resolutions; 
Whereas, therefore, the fourth ACP-EEC Convention, signed in Lomé on 15 
December 1989, to which the Community and Sierra Leone are parties, does not pose 
an obstacle to the application of the said Security Council measures, 
Whereas the competent authorities of the United Nations might change the product 
coverage of the sanctions against Sierra Leone, and, therefore, Annex I to this 
Regulation might have to be amended accordingly, 
Whereas the Security Council resolution provides for certain exceptions to the 
restrictions imposed on the condition of prior approval of the Committee established 
by Resolution 1132 (1997), and of respect of certain arrangements for monitoring 
delivery, 
Whereas approval of this Committee should be obtained through the competent 
national authorities of the Member States, whose names and addresses should, 
therefore, be made available in an Annex to this Regulation, 
Whereas, for reasons of expediency, the Commission should be empowered to 
supplement and/or amend Annex I to this Regulation on the basis of pertinent 
decisions by the competent authorities of the United Nations or, in the case of Annex 
II, on the basis of notifications by the competent authorities of Member States, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
Article 1 
The following shall be prohibited: 
1. to sell or supply petroleum and petroleum products listed in Annex I, whether or 
not originating in. the Community, in the territory of Sierra Leone; 
2. to sell or supply in the territory of Sierra Leone arms and related matériel of all 
types, including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, 
paramilitary equipment and spare parts and related technology for the 
aforementioned; 
3. any activity the object or effect of which is, directly or indirectly, to promote the 
transactions or activities mentioned under this Article. 
(f 
Article 2 
The prohibition of Article 1 shall not apply in cases of 
a. supplies to the democratically-elected Government of Sierra Leone, at its request, 
and 
b. supplies for humanitarian purposes or the needs of the Military Observer Group of 
ECOWAS (ECOMOG), at the request of other governments or United Nations 
Agencies, 
on the condition that, through the competent national authorities, a non-objection 
declaration has been obtained from the United Nations Security Council Committee 
created pursuant to Resolution 1132 (1997), and the arrangements determined by this 
Committee for effective monitoring of delivery are being fully respected. 
The names and addresses of the competent national authorities are contained in 
Annex H. 
Article 3 
This Regulation shall apply notwithstanding any rights conferred or obligations 
imposed by any international agreement signed or any contract entered into or any 
licence or permit granted before the entry into force of this Regulation. 
Article 4 
Each Member State shall determine the sanctions to be imposed where the provisions 
of this Regulation are infringed. 
Pending the adoption , where necessary, of any legislation to this end, the sanctions to 
be imposed where the provisions of this Regulation are infringed shall be those 
determined by the Member States in order to give effect to Article 4 of Council 
Regulation (EEC) No 2967/93.2) 
2)OJL281 dd. 29.10.93, p.1 
S" 
Article 5 
The Commission and the Member States shall inform each other of the measures 
taken under this Regulation and supply each other with other relevant information at 
their disposal in connection with this Regulation, such as violations and other 
enforcement problems, judgements made by national courts or decisions by the 
Committee established by Resolution 1132 (1997) of the Security Council. 
Article 6 
The European Commission is hereby empowered to supplement and/or amend Annex 
I to this Regulation on the basis of the information supplied by the competent 
authorities of the United Nations or, in the case of Annex II, of the Member States. 
Such supplement and/or amendments shall be published in the Official Journal of the 
European Communities. 
Article 7 
This Regulation shall apply within the territory of the European Community including 
its air space and on any aircraft or any vessel under the jurisdiction of a Member State 
and to any person elsewhere who is a national of a Member State and any body which 
is incorporated or constituted under the law of a Member State. 
Article 8 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official 
Journal of the European Communities. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member 
States. 
Done at Brussels, 1997 
For the Council 
The President 
I 
ANNEX I 
CN code Product description 
2709 
2710 
21U 
2712 10 
2712 20 00 
ex 2712 90 
2713 
2714 
271500 00 
2901 
2902 11 00 
2902 20 . 
2902 30 
2902 4100 
2902 42 00 
2902 43 00 
2902 44 
2902 5000 
2902 60 00 
2902 7000 
2905 11 00 
3403 19 10 
38112100 
3823 90 10 Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude 
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, other than crude; 
preparations not elsewhere specified or included, containing by weight 70 % or more or 
petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic 
constituents of the preparations 
Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons 
Petroleum jelly 
Paraffin wax containing by weight less than 0,75 % of oil 
'Slack wax', 'scale wax' 
Petroleum coke, petroleum bitumen and other residues of petroleum oils or of oils 
obtained from bituminous minerals 
Bitumen and asphalt, natural; bituminous or oil shale and tar sands; asphalties and 
asphaltic rocks 
Bituminous mixtures based on natural asphalt, on natural bitumen, on petroleum bitumen, 
on mineral tar or on mineral tar pitch (for example, bituminous mastics, cutbacks) 
Acyclic hydrocarbons 
Cyclohexane 
Benzene 
Toluene 
o-Xylene 
m-Xylene 
p-Xylene 
Mixed xylene isomers 
Styrene 
Ethylbenzene 
Cumene 
Methanol (methyl alcohol) 
Lubricating preparations (including cutting-oil preparations, bolt or nut release 
preparations, anti-rust or anti-corrosion preparations and mould release preparations, 
based on lubricants) and preparations containing, as basic constituents, 70 % or more by 
weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals but not as the basic 
constituent 
Additives for lubricating oils containing petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous 
minerals 
Petroleum sulphonates, excluding petroleum sulphonated of alkali metals, of ammonium 
or of ethanolamines; thiophenated sulphonic acids of oils obtained from bituminous 
minerals, and their salts 
€ 
ANNEX II 
Names and addresses of the authorities referred to in Article 1 
BELGIE - BELGIQUE 
Ministère des Affaires Entrangères, du Commerce Extérieur et de la Coopération 
au Développement 
Egmont 1, rue des Petits Carmes 19 
1000 Bruxelles 
Direction des relations économiques et bilatérales extérieures 
a) Service Afrique du Sud du Sahara (B.22), tel. 0032 2 501 85 77, 
b) Coordination de la politique commerciale (B.40) tel. 0032 2 501 83 20, 
c) Service Transports (B.42), tel. 0032 2 501 37 62 
Fax 00 32 2 501 88 27 
Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, Buitenlandse Handel en 
Ontwikkelingssamenwerking 
Egmont 1, Kleine Karmelietenstraat 19 
1000Brussel 
Diectie buitenlandse economische en bilatérale relaties 
a) Dienst Afrika ten zuiden van de Sahara (B.22) tel 0032 2 501 85 77, 
b) Coordinatie van de handelspolitiek (B.40) tel. 0032 2 501 83 20, 
c) Dienst Transport (B.42) tel. 0032 2 501 37 62 
Fax 0032 2 5051 88 27 
Minstère des Affaires Economiques 
A.R.E. 4a Division. Service des Licenses 
Avenue du Général Léman 60 
1040 Bruxelles 
tel. 0032 2 206 58 16/27, fax 230 83 22 
Ministerie van Economische Zaken 
A.R.E. 4e Divisie. Dienst der Vergunnningen 
Generaal Lémanlaan 60 
1040Brussel 
tel 0032 2 206 58 16/27, fax 230 83 22 
DANMARK 
Danish Agency for Trade and Industry 
Tagensvej 137 2200 Kobehavn N. 
Tel. +45-35-868686 Fax. +45-35-868687 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department S.7 
Asiatisk Plads 2 1448 Copenhagen K. 
Tel. +45-33-920000 / 33-920909 Fax. +45-31540533 
Danish Agency for Trade and Industry 
Jeanne Lorentzen, desk officer 
Tel. +45-35-868489 Fax. +45-35-868575 
Niels Hoeing, assistant 
Tel. +45-35-868485 Fax. +45-35-868575 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
Peter Lysholt Hansen, Head of Department S.7 
Tel. +45-33-920901 Fax. +45-33-921802 
Gert Meinecke, desk officer 
Tel. +45-33-920926 Fax. +45-33-921802 
DEUTSCHLAND 
Bundesausfuhramt (BAFA) 
Frankfurter StraBe 29-35 
65760 Eschbom 
Bundesanstalt fur Landwirtschaft und Emâhrung (BLE) 
Adickesallee 40 
60322 Frankfurt 
Bundesamt fur Verkehr 
Réf. LR 13 
Postfach 200100 
53170 Bonn 
ELLADA 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
Ambassador Nikolaos Chatoupis 
Directorate A7 
Zalokosta 1 
106 71 Athens 
tel. 00301 361 00 12, fax 361 00 96/645 00 49 
Ministry of National Economy 
Secretariat General for International Economic Relations 
Directorate General for External Economic and Trade Relations 
Director Th. Vlassopoulos 
tel. 00301 32 86 401 -3, fax 32 86 404 
Directorate of Procedure of External Trade 
Directors: I. Tseros, tel. 00301 32 86 021/23, fax 32 86 059 
A. Iglessis, tel 00301 32 86 051, fax 32 86 094 
Ermou and Kornarou 1 
105 63 Athens 
ESPANA 
Ministerio de Economia y Hacienda 
Subdireccion General de Politica Arancetaria y de Instrumentas de Defensa 
Comercial 
Sr. Manuel MORENO (PL 7 - Desp. 3) 
tefno. 0034 1 349 38 95, Faxno. 349 38 02 
Direccion: Paseo de la Castellana, 162, MADRID 
FRANCE 
IRELAND 
Department of Public Enterprise 
Aviation Regulation and International Affairs Division 
44 Kildare Street 
Dublin 2 
tel. 00353 1 670 74 44 Fax: 670 74 11 
Mr. Brendan Twomey / Mr. Ernest Hartman 
ITALIA 
^0 
Ministerio Affari Esteri - ROMA 
D.G.A.E. - Uff. X 
tel. 00396 - 36 91 37 50 - Fax: 36 91 37 52 
Ministerio Commercio Estero - ROMA 
Gabinetto 
Tel. 00396 - 59 93 23 10 - Fax: 59 64 74 94 
Ministerio dei Trasporti - ROMA 
Gabinetto 
Tel. 00396 - 44 26 71 16/84 90 40 94 - Fax: 44 26 71 14 
LUXEMBOURG 
NEDERLAND 
Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken 
Directie Verenigde Naties, afdeling Politieke Zaken 
Den Haag 
tel. 0031 - 70 - 348 42 06 - Fax: 348 67 49 
ÔSTERREICH 
Bundesministerium fur wirtschaftliche Angelegenheiten 
Abteilung 11/A/2 
LandstraBer HauptstraBe 55 - 57 
1030 Wien 
ad. Art. 1 (4): 
Bundesministerium fur Wissenschaft und Verkehr 
Oberste Zivilluftfahrtbehôrde (OZB) 
RadetzkystraBe 2 
1030 Wien 
PORTUGAL 
Ministerio dos Negôcios Estrangeiros 
Sra. Monica Lisboa 
Direcçâo-General Assuntos Multilaterais 
Lisboa 
SUOMI / FINLAND 
Ulkoasiainministerio PL 176 / Utrikesministeriet PB 176 
00161 Helsinki / 00161 Helsingfors 
SVERIGE 
Regeringskansliet 
Utrikesdepartementet 
Râttssekretariatet for EU-fràgor 
Fredsgatan 6 
SE-103 39 Stockholm 
tel. 0046 8 405 10 00 Fax: 723 11 76 
UNITED KINGDOM 
/A 
COMMON POSITION 
defined by the Council on the basis of Article J.2 of the Treaty on European 
Union concerning measures to be taken in relation to Sierra Leone in view of 
relevant decisions of the Security Council of the United Nations, in particular 
its Resolution 1132(1997) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 
having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular its Article 
J.2, 
whereas on 9 October 1997 the Security Council of the United Nations 
adopted Resolution 1132 (1997) in which it decided, inter alia, that all States 
shall take certain measures in respect of Sierra Leone in order to contribute 
to resolving the crisis and restoring peacefully the constitutional order in that 
country, 
whereas said Resolution should be implemented within the European Union, 
in accordance with its provisions and those of related Resolutions, and in 
particular the duration of the measures, 
HAS DEFINED THE FOLLOWING COMMON POSITION: 
Article 1 
In relation to Sierra Leone the necessary steps will be taken to implement 
Resolution 1132 (1997) and related resolutions of the Security Council of the 
United Nations. 
Article 2 
This Common Position will enter into force on the date of its adoption. 
It shall be published in the Official Journal. 
Done at .... 1997 
For the Council 
The President 
/ii 

ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(97) 545 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 11 02 09 10 
Catalogue number : CB-C0-97-565-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-26231-5 
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
L-2985 Luxembourg 
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