1Council Regulation (EU) 2025/610 of 24 March 2025 amending Regulation (EU) No 224/2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in the Central African Republic

Council Regulation (EU) 2025/610 of 24 March 2025 amending Regulation (EU) No 224/2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in the Central African Republic THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 215 thereof, Having regard to Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/604 of 24 March 2025 amending Decision 2013/798/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in the Central African Republic OJ L, 2025/604, 25.3.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/604/oj. , Having regard to the joint proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the European Commission, Whereas: (1) On 10 March 2014, the Council adopted Regulation (EU) No 224/2014 Council Regulation (EU) No 224/2014 of 10 March 2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in the Central African Republic (OJ L 70, 11.3.2014, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2014/224/oj). concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in the Central African Republic. That Regulation gives effect to certain measures provided for in Council Decision 2013/798/CFSP Council Decision 2013/798/CFSP of 23 December 2013 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in against the Central African Republic (OJ L 352, 24.12.2013, p. 51, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2013/798/oj). . (2) On 30 July 2024, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted Resolution 2745 (2024), lifting the arms embargo on the Government of the Central African Republic. That Resolution also establishes an arms embargo on armed groups and associated individuals operating in the Central African Republic until 31 July 2025. (3) On 24 March 2025, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2025/604, which amends Decision 2013/798/CFSP in accordance with UNSC Resolution 2745 (2024). (4) Some of the amendments set out in Decision (CFSP) 2025/604 fall within the scope of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Regulatory action at the level of the Union is therefore necessary in order to implement them, in particular with a view to ensuring their uniform application by economic operators in all Member States. (5) Regulation (EU) No 224/2014 should therefore be amended accordingly, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Regulation (EU) No 224/2014 is amended as follows: (1) in Article 1, the following point is added: (l) financing or financial assistance means any action, irrespective of the particular means chosen, whereby the natural or legal person, entity or body concerned, conditionally or unconditionally, disburses or commits to disburse its own funds or economic resources, including but not limited to grants, loans, guarantees, suretyships, bonds, letters of credit, supplier credits, buyer credits, import or export advances and all types of insurance and reinsurance, including export credit insurance. Payment as well as terms and conditions of payment of the agreed price for a good or a service, made in line with normal business practice, do not constitute financing or financial assistance.

; (2) Article 2 is replaced by the following:

Article 2

1. It shall be prohibited to sell, supply, transfer or export, directly or indirectly, the goods and technology listed in the Common Military List of the European Union OJ C 69, 18.3.2010, p. 19. (the Common Military List), as well as firearms, their parts and essential components, and ammunition as defined in Regulation (EU) No 258/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council Regulation (EU) No 258/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 March 2012 implementing Article 10 of the United Nations’ Protocol against the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (UN Firearms Protocol), and establishing export authorisation, and import and transit measures for firearms, their parts and components and ammunition (OJ L 94, 30.3.2012, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/258/oj).; , whether originating or not in the Union, to armed groups and associated individuals operating in the Central African Republic.
2. It shall be prohibited to provide, directly or indirectly: (a) technical assistance or brokering services related to the goods and technology listed in the Common Military List or firearms, their parts and essential components, and ammunition as defined in Regulation (EU) No 258/2012, or related to the provision, manufacture, maintenance and use of such items, to armed groups and associated individuals operating in the Central African Republic; (b) financing or financial assistance related to the sale, supply, transfer or export of goods and technology listed in the Common Military List or firearms, their parts and essential components, and ammunition as defined in Regulation (EU) No 258/2012, or any provision of related technical assistance or brokering services to armed groups and associated individuals operating in the Central African Republic. (3) Articles 3 and 4 are deleted.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 24 March 2025. For the Council The President C. Siekierski