Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999
of 7 December 2020
concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 29 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,
Whereas:
(1) The Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights and is committed to protect those values, which play a key role in ensuring peace and sustainable security, as cornerstones of its external action.
(2) Human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated. States have primary responsibility to respect, protect and fulfil human rights, including ensuring compliance with international human rights law. Human rights violations and abuses worldwide remain of great concern, including the significant involvement of non-State actors in human rights abuses globally as well as the severity of many such acts. Such acts violate the principles and threaten the objectives of the Union’s external action as set out in Article 21(1) and (2) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU).
(3) On 9 December 2019, the Council welcomed the launch by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (the ‘High Representative’) of preparatory work to establish a Union regime of general scope for restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses.
(4) This Decision establishes a framework for targeted restrictive measures to address serious human rights violations and abuses worldwide. In that regard, the Council emphasises the importance of international human rights law and of the interaction between international human rights law and international humanitarian law when considering the application of targeted restrictive measures under this Decision. This Decision does not affect the application of other existing or future Council decisions under the common foreign and security policy establishing restrictive measures in view of the situation in certain third countries, and which address human rights violations or abuses.
(5) Such targeted restrictive measures will pursue common foreign and security policy objectives as set out in Article 21 TEU, and they will contribute to Union action to consolidate and support democracy, the rule of law, human rights and the principles of international law in accordance with point (b) of Article 21(2) TEU. The application of such targeted restrictive measures will be consistent with the Union’s overall strategy in this area and enhance the Union’s capacity to promote respect for human rights.
(6) Further action by the Union is needed in order to implement certain measures,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: