Council Regulation (EC) No 1126/2006 of  24 July 2006  amending Regulation (EC) No 234/2004 concerning certain restrictive measures in respect of Liberia and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1030/2003, and suspending certain restrictive measures in respect of Liberia

25.7.2006 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 201/1
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1126/2006
of 24 July 2006
amending Regulation (EC) No 234/2004 concerning certain restrictive measures in respect of Liberia and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1030/2003, and suspending certain restrictive measures in respect of Liberia
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 Liberia (1) and Common Position 2006/518/CFSP of 24 July 2006 modifying and renewing certain restrictive measures imposed against Liberia (2),
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas:
(1) In order to implement the measures imposed against Liberia by United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1521 (2003), Common Position 2004/137/CFSP of 10 February 2004 concerning restrictive measures against Liberia (3) 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. On 23 January 2006, Common Position 2006/31/CFSP confirmed the restrictive measures of Common Position 2004/137/CFSP for a further period of time, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1647 (2005).
(2) Council Regulation (EC) No 234/2004 (4) 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.
(3) In the light of the developments in Liberia, the UN Security Council adopted, on 13 June 2006, UNSCR 1683 (2006) introducing some exemptions to the ban on technical assistance related to military activities imposed by paragraph 2(b) of UNSCR 1521 (2003).
(4) On 20 June 2006, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1689 (2006). It decided to renew the prohibition against imports of diamonds, but 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 period of 90 days, Liberia fails to pass the forestry legislation proposed by the Forest Reform Monitoring Committee created by the Government of Liberia.
(5) Taking these Resolutions and Common Positions 2006/31/CFSP and 2006/518/CFSP into account, it is necessary to suspend the prohibition of imports of round logs and timber products originating in Liberia, set out in Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 234/2004, with effect from 23 June 2006, and to amend Articles 3 and 4 of that Regulation, in particular in order to allow the provision of assistance to the police and security forces of the Government of Liberia under certain conditions with effect from 13 June 2006,