Council Decision 2012/642/CFSPShow full title

Article 3

1. Member States shall take the necessary measures to prevent the entry into, or transit through, their territories of persons:

(a) responsible for serious violations of human rights or the repression of civil society and democratic opposition, or whose activities otherwise seriously undermine democracy or the rule of law in Belarus, or any person associated with them;

(b) benefiting from or supporting the Lukashenka regime,

as listed in the Annex.

2. Paragraph 1 shall not oblige a Member State to refuse its own nationals entry into its territory.

3. Paragraph 1 shall be without prejudice to the cases where a Member State is bound by an obligation of international law, namely:

(a) as a host country of an international intergovernmental organisation;

(b) as a host country to an international conference convened by, or under the auspices of, the United Nations;

(c) under a multilateral agreement conferring privileges and immunities;

or

(d) under the 1929 Treaty of Conciliation (Lateran pact) concluded by the Holy See (State of the Vatican City) and Italy.

4. Paragraph 3 shall be considered as applying also in cases where a Member State is host country of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

5. The Council shall be duly informed in all cases where a Member State grants an exemption pursuant to paragraphs 3 or 4.

6. Member States may grant exemptions from the measures imposed in paragraph 1 where travel is justified on the grounds of urgent humanitarian need, or on grounds of attending intergovernmental meetings, including those promoted or hosted by the Union, or hosted by a Member State holding the Chairmanship in office of the OSCE, where a political dialogue is conducted that directly promotes democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Belarus.

7. A Member State wishing to grant exemptions referred to in paragraph 6 shall notify the Council in writing. The exemption shall be deemed to be granted unless one or more of the Council members raises an objection in writing within two working days of receiving notification of the proposed exemption. Should one or more of the Council members raise an objection, the Council, acting by a qualified majority, may decide to grant the proposed exemption.

8. In cases where pursuant to paragraphs 3, 4, 6 and 7 a Member State authorises the entry into, or transit through, its territory of any person listed in the Annex, the authorisation shall be limited to the purpose for which it is given and to the person concerned thereby.