EU plans to draft fourth package of sanctions on Belarus by June 21
<p> MINSK, May 26 - PrimePress. The European Union plans to draw up a fourth package of sanctions against Belarus by June 21, the managing director of the European External Action Service's for Eastern Partnership Michael Siebert said on Wednesday. </p> <p> </p> <p> “We are already... working on the so-called fourth package… We are trying to finish it very soon, with a view to the Foreign Affairs Council in June,” Prime reports citing Siebert as saying. </p> <p> </p> <p> He cited several hurdles to the work, including EU member states diverging on the size and concrete steps. He said listings also had to be “legally water-proof” to avoid challenges against the EU in court. </p> <p> </p> <p> Existing rules allow the EU to impose individual restrictions on Belarusian nationals and entities. Seibert said that the EU was also looking at broader sanctions against whole sectors of the Belarusian economy. </p> <p> </p> <p> “This, of course, requires a new legal framework that can later be filled by concrete entities. It goes without saying that it will take more time to establish a legal base for a new sectoral sanctions regime,” he said. </p> <p> </p> <p> He admitted that the EU realized that far-reaching economic curbs against those helping the Belarusian government to persist could have unintended "side-effects" on the Belarusian population and potentially benefit Russia, who could take over Belarusian assets. </p> <p> </p> <p> “We have to be aware of that. I'm not saying this will not be done. But there is this consideration to hit the regime more and not the people living in Belarus,” he said. End </p>
2021-05-27
Primepress
EU plans to draft fourth package of sanctions on Belarus by June 21
MINSK, May 26 - PrimePress. The European Union plans to draw up a fourth package of sanctions against Belarus by June 21, the managing director of the European External Action Service's for Eastern Partnership Michael Siebert said on Wednesday.
“We are already... working on the so-called fourth package… We are trying to finish it very soon, with a view to the Foreign Affairs Council in June,” Prime reports citing Siebert as saying.
He cited several hurdles to the work, including EU member states diverging on the size and concrete steps. He said listings also had to be “legally water-proof” to avoid challenges against the EU in court.
Existing rules allow the EU to impose individual restrictions on Belarusian nationals and entities. Seibert said that the EU was also looking at broader sanctions against whole sectors of the Belarusian economy.
“This, of course, requires a new legal framework that can later be filled by concrete entities. It goes without saying that it will take more time to establish a legal base for a new sectoral sanctions regime,” he said.
He admitted that the EU realized that far-reaching economic curbs against those helping the Belarusian government to persist could have unintended "side-effects" on the Belarusian population and potentially benefit Russia, who could take over Belarusian assets.
“We have to be aware of that. I'm not saying this will not be done. But there is this consideration to hit the regime more and not the people living in Belarus,” he said. End