Council Regulation (EU) 2025/964 of 20 May 2025 amending Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilizing activities
Date: 2025-05-20
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU restrictive measure, Russia, Russo-Ukrainian issue, Ukraine, economic sanctions, international sanctions, legal person, mass media, natural person, territorial dispute, territorial law, trade restriction




L_202500964EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2025/964


20.5.2025







            COUNCIL REGULATION (EU) 2025/964
         
of 20 May 2025
         
amending Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilizing activities


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 (CFSP) 2025/963 of 20 May 2025 amending Decision (CFSP) 2024/2643 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities (1),


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)


On 8 October 2024, the Council adopted Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 (2), which gives effect to measures provided for in Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2643 (3) concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities.












(2)


On 20 May 2025, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2025/963, which amends Decision (CFSP) 2024/2643.












(3)


Decision (CFSP) 2025/963 introduces additional measures, inter alia amending the criteria guiding individual designations in the listings freezing assets, and the prohibition from making funds and economic resources available to listed persons bodies and entities.












(4)


Those additional measures prohibit transactions with tangible assets supporting Russia-driven destabilising activities, such as vessels, aircraft, real estate, ports, airports, physical elements of digital and communication networks. Such tangible assets can include both those of a movable nature, and those of an immovable nature. The tangible assets should be adequately identifiable, in order to support the effective implementation of the prohibition.












(5)


Those additional measures also prohibit broadcasting in the Union by specifically-designated media outlets. That prohibition is established against the backdrop of Russia’s involvement in a systematic, international campaign of media manipulation and distortion of facts in order to enhance its destabilising strategy against the Union and its Member States.












(6)


In view of the gravity of the situation, and in response to Russia’s destabilising actions, it is necessary, consistent with the fundamental rights and freedoms recognised in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, in particular with the right to freedom of expression and information as recognised in Article 11 thereof, to suspend the broadcasting licences in the Union of the specifically-designated media outlets, and to prohibit the broadcasting of their content in the Union, or directed at the Union. Operators subject to the broadcasting prohibition are understood broadly to include natural persons and entities acting commercially or professionally, as well as those acting for economic benefit, such as online content creators, bloggers, and web influencers deriving income from advertisement, donations, or the increase in their follower base.












(7)


Consistent with the fundamental rights and freedoms recognised in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, in particular with the right to freedom of expression and information, the freedom to conduct a business and the right to property as recognised in Articles 11, 16 and 17, respectively, thereof, the prohibition on broadcasting does not prevent those media outlets or their staff from carrying out activities in the Union other than broadcasting, such as research and interviews. These measures do not modify the obligation to respect the rights, freedoms and principles referred to in Article 6 of the Treaty on European Union, including in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and in Member States’ constitutions, within their respective fields of application.












(8)


These amendments fall within the scope of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and therefore regulatory action at the level of the Union is necessary in order to implement them, in particular with a view to ensuring their uniform application in all Member States.












(9)


Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 should therefore be amended accordingly,





HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:



Article 1
Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 is amended as follows:






(1)


the title of Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 is replaced by the following:


                                       ‘Council Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 of 8 October 2024 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities’
                                    
;









(2)


the following articles are inserted:

‘Article 1a

1.   It shall be prohibited to engage, directly or indirectly, in any transaction relating to or involving any tangible asset, such as vessels, aircraft, real estate, ports, airports, and physical elements of digital and communication networks, as listed in Annex III.


2.   The list in Annex III shall include tangible assets which are:






(a)


used in activities of a destabilising character that endanger or damage critical infrastructure, including submarine infrastructure, and that are attributable to or benefitting the Government of the Russian Federation;










(b)


used in activities of a destabilising character that violate national, European or international air, marine or land traffic regulations, and that are attributable to or benefitting the Government of the Russian Federation;










(c)


are used in activities of a destabilising character, including espionage and surveillance, the transport of weapons or military equipment and personnel, information manipulation and interference, and that are attributable to or benefiting the Government of the Russian Federation;










(d)


are owned, chartered or operated by natural or legal persons, entities or bodies listed in Annex I, or is otherwise used in the name of, on behalf of, in relation with, or for the benefit of, such persons.






3.   The prohibition in paragraph 1 shall not apply to transactions for reasons of maritime or aviation safety, or necessary for humanitarian purposes, or for the urgent prevention or mitigation of an event likely to have a serious and significant impact on human health and safety or on the environment, or as a response to natural disasters.


4.   The prohibition in paragraph 1 shall not apply to transactions necessary for the recognition or enforcement of a judgment or an arbitration award rendered in a Member State, or for the purposes of an investigation into infringements of the provisions of this Regulation or into other illicit activity.


5.   By way of derogation from paragraph 1, the competent authorities of a Member State may authorise transactions relating to or involving tangible assets listed in Annex III under such conditions as they deem appropriate, after having determined, on a case by case basis, that the transaction is strictly necessary for any purpose consistent with the objectives of this Regulation.
The Member State concerned shall inform the other Member States and the Commission of any such authorisation within two weeks thereof.



Article 1b

1.   It shall be prohibited to engage, directly or indirectly, in any transaction with:






(a)


a legal person, entity or body established outside the Union that is a credit or financial institution or an entity providing crypto assets services, involved in transactions that facilitate, directly or indirectly, activities by or otherwise supporting persons, entities or bodies engaged in activities referred to in Article 2(3), as listed in Annex IV to this Regulation; or










(b)


a legal person, entity or body providing technical or operational assistance to natural or legal persons, entities or bodies engaged in activities referred to in Article 2(3), as listed in Annex IV to this Regulation.






2.   The prohibition in paragraph 1 shall not apply to transactions that are:






(a)


necessary for the export, sale, supply, transfer or transport of pharmaceutical, medical, or agricultural and food products, including wheat and fertilisers;










(b)


strictly necessary to ensure access to judicial, administrative or arbitral proceedings in a Member State, as well as for the recognition or enforcement of a judgment or an arbitration award rendered in a Member State, provided that such transactions are consistent with the objectives of this Regulation and those of Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2643 (*1); or










(c)


necessary for humanitarian purposes, such as delivering or facilitating the delivery of assistance, including medical supplies, food, or the transfer of humanitarian workers and related assistance or for evacuations.







Article 1c

1.   It shall be prohibited for operators to broadcast or to enable, facilitate or otherwise contribute to broadcasting, any content by the legal persons, entities or bodies listed in Annex V, including through transmission or distribution by any means, such as cable, satellite, IP-TV, internet service providers, internet video-sharing platforms or applications, whether new or pre-installed.


2.   Any broadcasting license or authorisation, transmission or distribution arrangement with the legal persons, entities or bodies listed in Annex V shall be suspended.


3.   It shall be prohibited to advertise products or services in any content produced or broadcast by the legal persons, entities or bodies listed in Annex V, including through transmission or distribution by any of the means referred to in paragraph 1 of this article.



(*1)  Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2643 of 8 October 2024 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities (OJ L, 2024/2643, 9.10.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2024/2643/oj).’;"
                        










(3)


in Article 2, paragraph 3 is replaced by the following:

‘3.   Annex I shall include natural or legal persons, entities or bodies that are:






(a)


responsible for, implementing, supporting, benefiting from, involved in or facilitating actions or policies attributable to the Government of the Russian Federation which undermine or threaten democracy, the rule of law, stability or security in the Union or in one or several of its Member States, in an international organisation, or in a third country, or which undermine or threaten the sovereignty or independence of one or several of its Member States, or of a third country, through any of the following actions:






(i)


planning, directing, engaging in, directly or indirectly, supporting, or otherwise facilitating the obstruction or undermining of the democratic political process or public order and safety, including by obstructing or undermining the holding of elections or attempting to destabilise or overthrow the constitutional order;










(ii)


planning, directing, engaging in, directly or indirectly, supporting, or otherwise facilitating violent demonstrations;










(iii)


planning, directing, engaging in, directly or indirectly, supporting, or otherwise facilitating acts of physical or non-physical violence, including activities to silence, intimidate, coerce, or exact reprisals against persons critical of the actions or policies of the Russian Federation;










(iv)


planning, directing, engaging in, directly or indirectly, supporting, or otherwise facilitating the use of information manipulation and interference;










(v)


planning, directing, engaging in, directly or indirectly, supporting, or otherwise facilitating any actions targeted at the functioning of democratic institutions, economic activities or services of public interest, including by unauthorised entry into the territory of a Member State, including its airspace, or aimed at interfering with, damaging or destroying, including through sabotage or malicious cyber activities as part of hybrid activities, critical infrastructure, including submarine infrastructure;










(vi)


planning, directing, engaging in, directly or indirectly, supporting, or otherwise facilitating the instrumentalisation of migrants as referred to in Article 1(4), point (b), of Regulation (EU) 2024/1359;










(vii)


exploiting an armed conflict, instability or insecurity, including through the illicit exploitation of, or trade in, natural resources and wildlife in a third country;










(viii)


instigating, supporting or otherwise facilitating a violent conflict, in a third country;














(b)


associated with the natural or legal persons, entities or bodies listed under point (a);










(c)


supporting the natural or legal persons, entities or bodies engaged in activities referred to in point (a).’




;









(4)


in Article 11, paragraph 1, the following points are added:






‘(c)


legal persons, entities or bodies listed in Annexes IV or V to this Regulation, or legal persons, entities or bodies established outside the Union whose proprietary rights are directly or indirectly owned for more than 50 % by them;










(d)


any person, entity or body acting through or on behalf of one of the persons, entities or bodies referred to in point (c) of this paragraph’




;










(5)


Annexes III, IV and V are added in accordance with 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, 20 May 2025.


For the Council


The President

K. KALLAS
            





(1)  
            OJ L, 2025/963, 20.5.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/963/oj.

(2)  Council Regulation (EU) 2024/2642 of 8 October 2024 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilizing activities (OJ L, 2024/2642, 9.10.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/2642/oj).

(3)  Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2643 of 8 October 2024 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities (OJ L, 2024/2643, 9.10.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2024/2643/oj).




ANNEX
In the Annexes to Regulation (EU) 2024/2642, the following Annexes are added:



‘ANNEX III
List of tangible assets referred to in Article 1a
[…]




ANNEX IV
List of legal persons, entities or bodies referred to in Article 1b
[…]




ANNEX V
List of legal persons, entities or bodies referred to in Article 1c
[…]’.






ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/964/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)