Article 1
Open ↗‘Chemical weapons’ means chemical weapons as defined in Article II of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).
Source
Council Decision (CFSP) 2018/1544 of 15 October 2018 concerning restrictive measures against the proliferation and use of chemical weapons
Council Decision (CFSP) 2018/1544 of 15 October 2018 concerning restrictive measures against the proliferation and use of chemical weapons
Data as of 2026-07-04 · Compiled from an official source version. Later amendments or repeals may not be reflected; the official text prevails. · Read the official text ↗
Article 2
Open ↗1. Member States shall take the measures necessary to prevent the entry into, or transit through, their territories of: (a) natural persons who are responsible for, provide financial, technical or material support for or are otherwise involved in: (i) manufacturing, acquiring, possessing, developing, transporting, stockpiling or transferring chemical weapons; (ii) using chemical weapons; (iii) engaging in any preparations for the use of chemical weapons; (b) natural persons who assist, encourage or induce any natural or legal person, entity or body to engage in any activity referred to in point (a) of this paragraph and thereby cause or contribute to a danger that such activities may be carried out; and (c) natural persons associated with the natural persons listed in points (a) and (b); 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) pursuant to the 1929 Treaty of Conciliation (Lateran Pact) concluded by the Holy See (Vatican City State) 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 paragraph 3 or 4. 6. Member States may grant exemptions from the measures imposed under paragraph 1 where travel is justified on the grounds of urgent humanitarian need, or on grounds of attending intergovernmental meetings and 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 the policy objectives of the restrictive measures, including implementing the legal prohibitions against chemical weapons and the achievement of chemical weapons disarmament. Member States may also grant exemptions from the measures imposed under paragraph 1 where entry or transit is necessary for the fulfilment of a judicial process. 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. Where, pursuant to paragraphs 3, 4, 6 or 7 a Member State authorises the entry into, or transit through its territory of persons listed in the Annex, the authorisation shall be strictly limited to the purpose for which it is given and to the persons directly concerned thereby.
Article 3
Open ↗1. All funds and economic resources belonging to, owned, held or controlled by: (a) natural or legal persons, entities or bodies who are responsible for, provide financial, technical or material support for or are otherwise involved in: (i) manufacturing, acquiring, possessing, developing, transporting, stockpiling or transferring chemical weapons; (ii) using chemical weapons; (iii) engaging in any preparations for the use of chemical weapons; (b) natural or legal persons, entities or bodies which assist, encourage or induce, in any way, any natural or legal person, entity or body to engage in any activity referred to in point (a) of this paragraph and thereby cause or contribute to a danger that such activities may be carried out; and (c) natural or legal persons, entities or bodies associated with the natural or legal persons, entities and bodies covered by points (a) and (b) of this paragraph; as listed in the Annex, shall be frozen. 2. No funds or economic resources shall be made available directly or indirectly to or for the benefit of the natural or legal persons, entities or bodies listed in the Annex. 3. By way of derogation from paragraphs 1 and 2, the competent authority of a Member State may authorise the release of certain frozen funds or economic resources, or the making available of certain funds or economic resources, under such conditions as it deems appropriate, after having determined that the funds or economic resources concerned are: (a) necessary to satisfy the basic needs of the natural or legal persons, entities or bodies listed in the Annex and dependent family members of such natural persons, including payments for foodstuffs, rent or mortgage, medicines and medical treatment, taxes, insurance premiums, and public utility charges; (b) intended exclusively for the payment of reasonable professional fees and the reimbursement of incurred expenses associated with the provision of legal services; (c) intended exclusively for the payment of fees or service charges for the routine holding or maintenance of frozen funds or economic resources; (d) necessary for extraordinary expenses, provided that the competent authority has notified the competent authorities of the other Member States and the Commission of the grounds on which it considers that a specific authorisation should be granted, at least two weeks prior to the authorisation; or (e) to be paid into or from an account of a diplomatic or consular mission or an international organisation enjoying immunities in accordance with international law, insofar as such payments are intended to be used for official purposes of the diplomatic or consular mission or international organisation. The Member State concerned shall inform the other Member States and the Commission of any authorisation granted under this paragraph. 4. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, the competent authorities of a Member State may authorise the release of certain frozen funds or economic resources, provided that the following conditions are met: (a) the funds or economic resources are the subject of an arbitral decision rendered prior to the date on which the natural or legal person, entity or body referred to in paragraph 1 was listed in the Annex, or a judicial or administrative decision rendered in the Union, or a judicial decision enforceable in the Member State concerned, prior to or after that date; (b) the funds or economic resources will be used exclusively to satisfy claims secured by such a decision or recognised as valid in such a decision, within the limits set by applicable laws and regulations governing the rights of persons having such claims; (c) the decision is not for the benefit of a natural or legal person, entity or body listed in the Annex; and (d) recognition of the decision is not contrary to public policy in the Member State concerned. The Member State concerned shall inform the other Member States and the Commission of any authorisation granted under this paragraph. 5. Paragraph 1 shall not prevent a natural or legal person, an entity or body listed in the Annex from making a payment due under a contract entered into prior to the date on which such natural or legal person, entity or body was listed therein, provided that the Member State concerned has determined that the payment is not, directly or indirectly, received by a natural or legal person, entity or body referred to in paragraph 1. 6. Paragraph 2 shall not apply to the addition to frozen accounts of: (a) interest or other earnings on those accounts; (b) payments due under contracts, agreements or obligations that were concluded or arose prior to the date on which those accounts became subject to the measures provided for in paragraphs 1 and 2; or (c) payments due under judicial, administrative or arbitral decisions rendered in the Union or enforceable in the Member State concerned; provided that any such interest, other earnings and payments remain subject to the measures provided for in paragraph 1.
Article 4
Open ↗1. The Council, acting by unanimity upon a proposal from a Member State or from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, shall establish and amend the list in the Annex. 2. The Council shall communicate the decision referred to in paragraph 1, including the grounds for the listing, to the natural or legal person, entity or body concerned, either directly, if the address is known, or through the publication of a notice, providing such person, entity or body with an opportunity to present observations. 3. Where observations are submitted, or where substantial new evidence is presented, the Council shall review the decision referred to in paragraph 1 and inform the natural or legal person, entity or body concerned accordingly.
Article 5
Open ↗1. The Annex shall include the grounds for listing the natural and legal persons, entities and bodies referred to in Articles 2 and 3. 2. The Annex shall also contain, where available, the information necessary to identify the natural or legal persons, entities or bodies concerned. With regard to natural persons, such information may include names, including aliases, date and place of birth, nationality, passport and identity card numbers, gender, address if known, and function or profession. With regard to legal persons, entities or bodies, such information may include names, place and date of registration, registration number and place of business.
Article 6
Open ↗No claims in connection with any contract or transaction the performance of which has been affected, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, by the measures imposed under this Decision, including claims for indemnity or any other claim of this type, such as a claim for compensation or a claim under a guarantee, in particular a claim for extension or payment of a bond, guarantee or indemnity, in particular a financial guarantee or financial indemnity, of whatever form, shall be satisfied, if they are made by: (a) designated natural or legal persons, entities or bodies listed in the Annex; (b) any natural or legal person, entity or body acting through or on behalf of one of the persons, entities or bodies referred to in point (a).
Article 7
Open ↗In order to maximise the impact of the measures set out in this Decision, the Union shall encourage third States to adopt restrictive measures similar to those provided for in this Decision.
Article 8
Open ↗This Decision shall apply until 16 October 2019. This Decision shall be kept under constant review. It shall be renewed, or amended as appropriate, if the Council deems that its objectives have not been met.
Article 9
Open ↗This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union .
Supplementary provisions
ANNEXSupplementary provisions
Open ↗ANNEX LIST OF NATURAL AND LEGAL PERSONS, ENTITIES AND BODIES REFERRED TO IN ARTICLES 2 AND 3
Other acts of the same type
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/1213 of 4 July 2017 on setting up the Integrated Structural Biology — European Research Infrastructure Consortium (Instruct-ERIC) (notified under document C(2017) 4507)Commission Decision (EU) 2017/1254 of 4 July 2017 on the proposed citizens' initiative entitled ‘Stop TTIP’ (notified under document C(2017) 4725)Decision (EU) 2017/1324 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2017 on the participation of the Union in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) jointly undertaken by several Member StatesDecision (EU) 2017/1331 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2017 amending Decision (EU) 2015/435 on the mobilisation of the Contingency MarginDecision (EU) 2017/1400 of the European Parliament of 4 July 2017 extending by an additional period the term of office of the Committee of Inquiry to investigate alleged contraventions and maladministration in the application of Union law in relation to money laundering, tax avoidance and tax evasionCouncil Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/1226 of 30 June 2017 amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/544 approving the macroeconomic adjustment programme of Greece (2015/1411)Commission Decision (EU) 2017/1441 of 30 June 2017 on the aid scheme notified by Poland entitled ‘Aid scheme for milk producers’ SA.45447 (2016/C) (ex 2016/N) (notified under document C(2017) 4359)Commission Decision (EU) 2018/160 of 30 June 2017 on the State aid SA.44351 (2016/C) (ex 2016/NN) implemented by Poland for the tax on the retail sector (notified under document C(2017) 4449) (Text with EEA relevance. )Commission Implementing Decision of 29 June 2017 on the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of a request for amendment of a specification for a name in the wine sector referred to in Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council [Vacqueyras (PDO)]Council Decision (CFSP) 2017/1148 of 28 June 2017 amending Decision 2014/512/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia's actions destabilising the situation in UkraineCommission Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/1144 of 26 June 2017 excluding from European Union financing certain expenditure incurred by the Member States under the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) (notified under document C(2017) 4136)Political and Security Committee Decision (CFSP) 2017/1160 of 26 June 2017 on the appointment of the EU Mission Force Commander of the European Union military mission to contribute to the training of Somali security forces (EUTM Somalia) (EUTM Somalia/1/2017)
Source: EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the EU), © European Union, reuse permitted under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.
What to look at next
Browse all EU Legal ActsEvery instrument by type and year, full text free to read section by sectionEuropean Union legislationEU Legal Acts by type and yearGrouped by instrument type and year of enactment, so you can find others of the same kindBrowse by type and yearEuropean Union: what this database coversWhich datasets are here, which official source they come from, and how current they areEuropean Union overview