Restrictive measures against 31 individuals and 6 entities will be in force until 30 October 2027
The Council of the European Union has decided to extend sanctions imposed in response to the proliferation and use of chemical weapons. The legal framework will remain in place for the next five years. This was reported by Council of the European Union, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
As part of the updated security policy, the sanctions regime regarding the use of toxic substances has been extended until 30 October 2031. This is the first time in EU history that such restrictive measures in this area have been agreed upon for such a long period.
Simultaneously, the Council of the EU decided to maintain individual listings under the framework for one year, until 30 October 2027. In total, 31 individuals and 6 entities remain subject to the sanctions.
The measures include an asset freeze for the listed subjects. It is also prohibited to provide them with any economic resources or funds, either directly or indirectly. Furthermore, a travel ban to EU member states applies to the natural persons included in the sanctions list.
The primary goal of this decision is to counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Additionally, the measures are aimed at supporting the implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction.
European institutions emphasise that the use of any toxic chemicals as weapons under any circumstances is completely unacceptable. Such activity is classified as a direct security threat to all EU countries and requires systematic condemnation.
The Council of the EU has the authority to review the lists of targeted persons and entities at any time while monitoring developments in this field. It is worth noting that on 3 July 2026, the sanctions list was expanded due to the involvement of six Russian citizens in the development of chemical substances, specifically epibatidine.
Illustrative photo: Samynandpartners / CC BY-SA 4.0
Read also: Estonia urges EU to restrict visa issuance to citizens of the rf
