2000/599/CFSP: Council Common Position of 9 October 2000 on support to a democratic FRY and the immediate lifting of certain restrictive measures
Date: 2000-10-09
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Serbia, Yugoslavia, democracy, international sanctions, parliamentary election, regulation of investments

14.10.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 261/1

(Acts adopted pursuant to Title V of the Treaty on European Union)

COUNCIL COMMON POSITION

of 9 October 2000

on support to a democratic FRY and the immediate lifting of certain restrictive measures

(2000/599/CFSP)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

HAS DEFINED THIS COMMON POSITION:

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in partic-
ular Article 15 thereof,

Article 1

Whereas:

In its message to the Serbian people on 18 September
2000, the Council reaffirmed that a democratic change
would lead to a radical change in the European Union's
policy towards the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY),
particularly in the area of sanctions.

Common Position 1999/273/CFSP of 23 April 1999
concerning a ban on the supply and sale of petroleum and
petroleum products to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1)
shall be repealed.

Article 2

Following the elections on 24 September 2000, a new
President of
the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was
democratically elected and formally sworn in, namely Mr
V. Kostunica.

Article 4 of Common Position 1999/318/CFSP of 10 May
1999 concerning additional restrictive measures against the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (2) shall be repealed.

On 9 October 2000 the Council approved a ‘Declaration
on the FRY’, which provides in particular for a radical
review of the European Union's policy towards the FRY.

Article 3

The Common Positions listed below:

In these circumstances, the restrictive measures against
the FRY should be lifted,
in accordance with the
commitments made by the European Union.

— Common Position 1998/240/CFSP of 19 March 1998 on
restrictive measures against the Federal Republic of Yugo-
slavia (3), with the exception of Articles 1 and 2 thereof,

The ban on the sale and supply of petroleum and petro-
leum products should be lifted immediately, as should
the ban on commercial or private flights between the
FRY and the European Community.

Specific restrictive measures against Mr Milosevic and
persons associated with him must be maintained.

The embargoes on arms exports and on the supply of
equipment which might be used for internal repression
or terrorism are not affected.

Action by the Community is needed in order to imple-
ment some of the measures cited below,

— Common Position 1998/326/CFSP of 7 May 1998
concerning the freezing of funds held abroad by the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia and Serbian Governments (4),

— Common Position 1998/374/CFSP of 8 June 1998
concerning the prohibition of new investment in Serbia (5),

— Common Position 1999/318/CFSP of 10 May 1999
the

restrictive measures against

concerning additional
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (6),

will be revised in order to maintain only those restrictive
provisions directed against Mr Milosevic and persons associated
with him.

(1) OJ L 108, 27.4.1999, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 123, 13.5.1999, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 95, 27.3.1998, p. 1.
(4) OJ L 143, 14.5.1998, p. 1.
(5) OJ L 165, 10.6.1998, p. 1.
(6) OJ L 123, 13.5.1999, p. 1.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

L 261/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

14.10.2000

Article 4

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

This Common Position shall be published in the Official Journal (*).

Article 5

Done at Luxembourg, 9 October 2000.

For the Council

The President

H. VÉDRINE

(*) This Common Position has already been published (See OJ L 255, 9.10.2000, p. 1).