Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 234/2004 concerning certain restrictive measures in respect of Liberia and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1030/2003
Date: 2006-11-08
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU relations, Liberia, economic sanctions, international sanctions, trade restriction, wood product

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 8.11.2006 
COM(2006) 680 final 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION 

amending Regulation (EC) No 234/2004 concerning certain restrictive measures in 
respect of Liberia and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1030/2003 

(presented by the Commission) 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

Regulation (EC) No 234/2004 concerning Liberia implements a ban on the provision 
of  certain  services  related  to  arms  and  military  equipment,  a  ban  on  the  import  of 
round  logs  and  timber  products  and  a  ban  on  the  import  of  rough  diamonds,  in 
accordance  with  Common  Positions  2006/31/CFSP  and  2006/518/CFSP,  and  UN 
Security  Council  Resolution  1521(2003)  and  other  relevant  UN  Security  Council 
Resolutions. 

By  means  of  Resolution  1689(2006)  of  20  June  2006,  the  UN  Security  Council 
decided, inter alia, to suspend the ban on import of round logs and timber products for 
a period of ninety days. After this period, the Security Council would decide whether 
the ban on import of round logs and timber products should be reinstated. 

The  Security  Council  examined  the  matter  on  20  October  2006  and  concluded  that 
there  were  no  grounds  to  reinstate  the  ban  on  import  of  round  logs  and  timber 
products. 

In view of this, the Commission proposes to repeal the provision of Regulation (EC) 
No  234/2004  giving  effect  to  the  ban  on  import  of  round  logs  and  timber  products 
from Liberia. 

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Proposal for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION 

amending Regulation (EC) No 234/2004 concerning certain restrictive measures in 
respect of Liberia and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1030/2003 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Articles 
60 and 301 thereof, 

Having  regard  to  Common  Position  2006/31/CFSP  of  23  January  2006  renewing  the 
restrictive  measures  imposed  against  Liberia1  and  Common  Position  2006/518/CFSP  of  24 
July 2006 modifying and renewing certain restrictive measures imposed against Liberia2, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

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2 
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In  order  to  implement  the  measures  imposed  against  Liberia  by  the  United  Nations 
Security  Council  Resolution  1521(2003),  Common  Position  2004/137/CFSP  of  10 
February  2004  concerning  restrictive  measures  against  Liberia3  provided  for  the 
implementation  of  the  measures  set  out  in  UNSCR  1521(2003)  concerning  Liberia, 
and  a  ban  on  the  provision  to  Liberia  of  financial  assistance  related  to  military 
activities. In line with UN Security Council Resolutions 1647(2005), 1683(2006) and 
1689(2006),  Common  Positions  2006/31/CFSP  and  2006/518/CFSP  confirmed  the 
restrictive measures of Common Position 2004/137/CFSP for a further period of time 
and provided for certain modifications. 

Council Regulation (EC) No 234/20044 prohibits the provision to Liberia of technical 
and  financial  assistance  related  to  military  activities,  the  import  of  rough  diamonds 
from  Liberia  and  the  import  of  round  logs  and  timber  products  originating  in  that 
country. 

On  20  June  2006,  the  UN  Security  Council  adopted  Resolution  1689(2006).  It 
decided, inter alia, not to renew the prohibition against imports of all round logs and 
timber  products  originating  in  Liberia,  which  had  been  imposed  by  paragraph  10  of 
UNSCR  1521(2003)  and,  after  several  extensions,  expired  on  20  June  2006.  The 
Security  Council  expressed  its  determination  to  reinstate  that  prohibition  if,  within  a 

OJ L 19, 24.1.2006, p. 38. 
OJ L 201, 25.7.2006, p. 36. 
OJ  L  40,  12.2.2004,  p.  35.  Common  Position  as  amended  by  Common  Position  2004/902/CFSP 
(OJ L 379, 24.12.2004, p. 113) 
OJ  L  40,  12.2.2004,  p.  1.  Regulation  as  last  amended  by  Regulation  (EC)  No  1126/2006  (OJ  L  201, 
25.7.2006, p. 1). 

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(4) 

(5) 

period  of  ninety  days,  Liberia  failed  to  pass  the  forestry  legislation  proposed  by  the 
Forest Reform Monitoring Committee created by the Government of Liberia.  

The  Security  Council  revisited  the  matter  on  20  October  2006  and  concluded  that 
Liberia  had  adopted  the  necessary  forestry  legislation.  It  resolved  therefore  not  to 
reinstate the prohibition. 

Article  6(2)  of  Regulation  (EC)  No  234/2004,  which  prohibits  the  import  into  the 
Community  of  all  round  logs  and  timber  products  originating  in  Liberia  and  was 
suspended  from  23  June  2006  to  18  September  2006,  should  therefore  be  repealed 
with retroactive effect to 19 September 2006,  

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

In Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 234/2004, paragraph 2 is deleted. 

Article 1 

Article 2 

This  Regulation  shall  enter  into  force  on  the  day  following  that  of  its  publication  in  the 
Official Journal of the European Union. 

It shall apply from 19 September 2006. 

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 
The President 

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