Article 1
In Decision 2014/145/CFSP, Article 2 is amended as follows: (1) in point (a) of paragraph 10, the date ‘31 December 2022’ is replaced by the date ’28 February 2023’; (2) paragraph 15 is replaced by the following: ‘15. By way of derogation from paragraphs 1 and 2, the competent authorities of a Member State may, under such conditions as they deem appropriate, authorise the release of certain frozen funds or economic resources, or the making available of certain funds or economic resources to the entity listed under entry number 108 under the heading “Entities” in the Annex, after having determined that the funds or economic resources are necessary for the completion, by 17 June 2023, of an ongoing sale and transfer of proprietary rights directly or indirectly owned by that entity in a legal person, entity or body established in the Union. That deadline does not retroactively validate divestments not compliant with the necessary requirements under this Decision.’; (3) paragraph 17 is replaced by the following: ‘17. By way of derogation from paragraphs 1 and 2, the competent authorities of a Member State may authorise the release of certain frozen funds or economic resources belonging to the entities listed under entry numbers 53, 54, 55, 79, 80, 81, 82, 108, 126 and 127 under the heading ‘Entities’ in the Annex, or the making available of certain funds or economic resources to those entities, under such conditions as the competent authorities deem appropriate and after having determined that such funds or economic resources are necessary for the purchase, import or transport of agricultural and food products, including wheat and fertilisers. By way of derogation from paragraphs 1 and 2, the competent authorities of a Member State, based on a specific and case-by-case assessment, may authorise, for each relevant transaction separately, the release of certain frozen funds or economic resources belonging to natural persons listed under the heading ‘Persons’ in the Annex who held a significant role in international trade in agricultural and food products, including wheat and fertilisers, prior to their listing, or the making available of certain funds or economic resources to those persons, under such conditions as the competent authorities deem appropriate and after having determined that such funds or resources are necessary for the sale, supply, transfer or export of agricultural and food products, including wheat and fertilisers, to third countries in order to address food security. The Member State concerned shall, when authorising such operations, act in close cooperation with the Commission. It shall inform the other Member States of any authorisation granted under this paragraph, within two weeks of the authorisation.’; (4) the following paragraph is added: ‘20. By way of derogation from paragraphs 1 and 2, the competent authorities of a Member State may authorise the release of certain frozen funds or economic resources belonging to the entities listed under entry numbers 126 and 127 under the heading “Entities” in the Annex, or the making available of certain funds or economic resources to those entities, under such conditions as the competent authorities deem appropriate and after having determined that such funds or economic resources are necessary for the termination by 17 June 2023 of operations, contracts, or other agreements, including correspondent banking relations, concluded with those entities before 16 December 2022. The Member State concerned shall inform the other Member States and the Commission of any authorisation granted under this paragraph within two weeks of the authorisation.’.