Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/455 of 26 February 2026 on restrictive measures to combat terrorism, repealing Articles 2, 3 and 3a of Common Position 2001/931/CFSP on the application of specific measures to combat terrorism and repealing Decision (CFSP) 2025/1577 and Decision (CFSP) 2026/421

• CELEX: Decision (CFSP) 2026/455
• Articles: 17

Article 1

1.   For the purposes of this Decision, ‘terrorist act’ means one of the following intentional acts, which, given its nature or its context, may seriously damage a country or an international organisation, as defined as an offence under national law, where committed with the aim of:

(i)

seriously intimidating a population; or

(ii)

unduly compelling a Government or an international organisation to perform or abstain from performing any act; or

(iii)

seriously destabilising or destroying the fundamental political, constitutional, economic or social structures of a country or an international organisation:

(a)

attacks upon a person’s life which may cause death;

(b)

attacks upon the physical integrity of a person;

(c)

kidnapping or hostage taking;

(d)

causing extensive destruction to a Government or public facility, a transport system, an infrastructure facility, including an information system, a fixed platform located on the continental shelf, a public place or private property, likely to endanger human life or result in major economic loss;

(e)

seizure of aircraft, ships or other means of public or goods transport;

(f)

manufacture, possession, acquisition, transport, supply or use of explosives or weapons, including chemical, biological, radiological or of nuclear weapons, as well as research into, and development of, chemical, biological radiological or nuclear weapons;

(g)

release of dangerous substances, or causing fires, explosions or floods, the effect of which is to endanger human life;

(h)

interfering with or disrupting the supply of water, power or any other fundamental natural resource, the effect of which is to endanger human life;

(i)

threatening to commit any of the acts listed under (a) to (h);

(j)

directing a terrorist group;

(k)

participating in the activities of a terrorist group, including by supplying information or material resources, or by funding its activities in any way, with knowledge of the fact that such participation will contribute to the criminal activities of the group;

(l)

illegal system interference or threatening to commit illegal system interference, as referred to in Article 4 of Directive 2013/40/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council  ( 4 ) in cases where Article 9(3) or Article 9(4), points (b) or (c), of that Directive applies, and illegal data interference or threatening to commit illegal data interference, as referred to in Article 5 of that Directive in cases where point (c) of Article 9(4) of that Directive applies.

2.   For the purposes of paragraph 1, ‘terrorist group’ shall mean a structured group of more than two persons, established over a period of time and acting in concert to commit terrorist acts. ‘Structured group’ means a group that is not randomly formed for the immediate commission of a terrorist act and that does not need to have formally defined roles for its members, continuity of its membership or a developed structure.

Article 2

1.   All funds and economic resources belonging to, or owned, held or controlled, directly or indirectly, by natural or legal persons, groups or entities that commit, or attempt to commit, terrorist acts or which participate in, or facilitate, the commission of terrorist acts, as listed in Annex I, shall be frozen.

2.   The list in Annex I shall be drawn up on the basis of precise information or material in the relevant file which indicates that a decision has been taken by a competent authority in respect of the natural or legal persons, groups or entities concerned, concerning the instigation of investigations or prosecution for a terrorist act, an attempt to perpetrate, participate in or facilitate such an act based on serious and credible evidence or clues, or condemnation for such deeds.

3.   For the purposes of paragraph 2, ‘competent authority’ shall mean a judicial authority, or, where judicial authorities have no competence in the area covered by that paragraph, an equivalent competent authority in that area.

4.   All funds and economic resources belonging to, or owned, held or controlled, directly or indirectly, by:

(a)

legal persons, groups or entities owned or controlled directly or indirectly by natural or legal persons, groups or entities listed in Annex I;

(b)

natural or legal persons, groups or entities acting on behalf of, or under the direction of natural or legal persons, groups or entities listed in Annex I;

(c)

leading members of legal persons, groups or entities listed in Annex I; or

(d)

natural or legal persons, groups or entities associated with natural or legal persons, groups or entities listed in Annex I, including by:

(i)

participating in the financing of terrorist acts committed by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of natural or legal persons, groups or entities listed in Annex I;

(ii)

participating in planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating terrorist acts committed by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of natural or legal persons, groups or entities listed in Annex I;

(iii)

providing or receiving terrorist training, such as instruction related to arms, explosive devices or other methods or technologies, for the benefit of natural or legal persons, groups or entities listed in Annex I; or

(iv)

being involved in recruitment for the benefit of natural or legal persons, groups or entities for the purposes of planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating terrorist acts listed in Annex I,

as listed in Annex II, shall be frozen.

5.   No funds or economic resources shall be made available, directly or indirectly, to or for the benefit of the natural or legal persons, groups and entities listed in Annexes I and II.

6.   By way of derogation from paragraphs 1, 4 and 5, the competent authorities of the Member States 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 they deem appropriate, after having determined that the funds or economic resources concerned are:

(a)

necessary to satisfy the basic needs of the persons listed in Annexes I and II and their dependent family members, including payments for foodstuffs, rent or mortgages, 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 concerned 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 within two weeks of such authorisation.

7.   By way of derogation from paragraphs 1 and 4, 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, group or entity referred to in paragraphs 1 and 4 was listed in Annex I or II, or of a judicial or administrative decision rendered in the Union, or a judicial decision enforceable in the Member State concerned, prior to, on 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, group or entity listed in Annex I or II; and

(d)

recognising 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 authorisations granted under this paragraph within two weeks of such authorisation.

8.   Paragraphs 1 and 4 shall not prevent a designated natural or legal person, group or entity from making a payment due under a contract entered into before the listing of that natural or legal person, group or entity, provided that the relevant Member State has determined that the payment is not directly or indirectly received by a natural or legal person, group or entity referred to in paragraphs 1 or 4.

9.   Paragraph 5 shall not apply to the addition to frozen accounts of:

(a)

interest or other earnings on those accounts, provided that such interest or other earnings remain subject to the measures provided for in paragraphs 1 and 4;

(b)

payments due under contracts, agreements or obligations that were concluded or that arose prior to the date on which those accounts became subject to the measures provided for in paragraphs 1, 4 and 5, provided that such payments remain subject to the measures provided for in paragraphs 1 and 4; or

(c)

payments due under judicial, administrative or arbitral decisions rendered in the Union or enforceable in the Member State concerned, provided that such payments remain subject to the measures provided for in paragraphs 1 and 4.

10.   Paragraphs 1, 4 and 5 shall not apply to the provision, processing or payment of funds or economic resources or to the provision of goods and services which are necessary to ensure the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance or to support other activities that support basic human needs where such assistance and other activities are carried out by:

(a)

the United Nations (UN), including its programmes, funds and other entities and bodies, as well as its specialised agencies and related organisations;

(b)

international organisations;

(c)

humanitarian organisations having observer status with the UN General Assembly and members of those humanitarian organisations;

(d)

bilaterally or multilaterally funded non-governmental organisations participating in UN Humanitarian Response Plans, UN Refugee Response Plans, other UN appeals or humanitarian clusters coordinated by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs;

(e)

organisations and agencies to which the Union has granted the Humanitarian Partnership Certificate or which are certified or recognised by a Member State in accordance with national procedures;

(f)

Member States’ specialised agencies;

(g)

employees, grantees, subsidiaries, or implementing partners of the entities referred to in points (a) to (f) while and to the extent that they are acting in those capacities.

11.   Without prejudice to paragraph 10 and by way of derogation from paragraphs 1, 4 and 5, the competent authorities 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 they deem appropriate, after having determined that the provision of such funds or economic resources is necessary to ensure the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance or to support other activities that support basic human needs.

12.   In the absence of a negative decision, a request for information or a notification for additional time from the relevant competent authority within five working days of the date of receipt of a request for authorisation under paragraph 11, that authorisation shall be considered granted.

13.   The Member State concerned shall inform the other Member States and the Commission of any authorisations granted under paragraph 11 within four weeks of the granting of such authorisation.

Article 3

1.   Member States shall take the necessary measures to prevent the entry into, or transit through, their territories of natural persons who commit, or attempt to commit, terrorist acts or who participate in, or facilitate, the commission of terrorist acts, as listed in Annex III.

2.   The list in Annex III shall be drawn up on the basis of precise information or material in the relevant file which indicates that a decision has been taken by a competent authority in respect of the natural or legal persons, groups or entities concerned, concerning the instigation of investigations or prosecution for a terrorist act, an attempt to perpetrate, participate in or facilitate such an act based on serious and credible evidence or clues, or condemnation for such deeds.

3.   For the purposes of paragraph 2, ‘competent authority’ shall mean a judicial authority, or, where judicial authorities have no competence in the area covered by that paragraph, an equivalent competent authority in that area.

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

(a)

natural persons acting on behalf of, or under the direction of natural or legal persons, groups or entities listed in Annex I or III;

(b)

leading members of legal persons, groups or entities listed in Annex I; or

(c)

natural persons associated with natural or legal persons, groups or entities listed in Annex I or III, including by:

(i)

participating in the financing of terrorist acts committed by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of a natural or legal persons, groups or entities listed in Annex I or III;

(ii)

participating in the planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating terrorist acts committed by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of a natural or legal persons, groups or entities listed in Annex I or III;

(iii)

providing or receiving terrorist training, such as instruction related to arms, explosive devices or other methods or technologies, for the benefit of natural or legal persons, groups or entities listed in Annex I or III; or

(iv)

being involved in recruitment for the benefit of a natural or legal persons, groups or entities for the purposes of planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating terrorist acts listed in Annex I or III,

as listed in Annex IV.

5.   Paragraphs 1 and 4 shall not oblige a Member State to refuse its own nationals entry into its territory.

6.   Paragraphs 1 and 4 shall be without prejudice to 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.

7.   Paragraph 6 shall also apply in cases where a Member State is the host country of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

8.   The Council shall be duly informed in all cases where a Member State grants an exemption pursuant to paragraph 6 or 7.

9.   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 or meetings 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 restrictive measures.

10.   Member States may also grant exemptions from the measures imposed under paragraphs 1 and 4 where entry or transit is necessary for the fulfilment of a judicial process or for the serving of a judicial sentence in a detention centre in a Member State.

11.   A Member State wishing to grant exemptions referred to in paragraph 9 or 10 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.

12.   Where, pursuant to paragraph 6, 7, 9, 10 or 11, a Member State authorises the entry into, or transit through, its territory of natural persons listed in Annex III or IV, the authorisation shall be strictly limited to the purpose for which it is given and to the natural persons directly concerned thereby.

Article 4

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 (the ‘High Representative’), shall decide to establish and amend the lists in Annexes I, II, III and IV.

2.   The Council shall communicate its decision pursuant to paragraph 1, including the statement of reasons, to the natural or legal person, group or entity concerned, either directly, if the address is known, or through the publication of a notice, providing the natural or legal person, group, or entity concerned with an opportunity to present observations.

3.   Where observations are submitted, or where substantial new evidence is presented, the Council shall review its decision pursuant to paragraph 1 and inform the natural or legal person, group or entity concerned accordingly.

Article 5

Annexes I, II, III and IV shall contain, where available, the information necessary to identify the natural or legal persons, groups or entities concerned. With regard to natural persons, such information may include: names and 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, groups or entities, such information may include: names; place and date of registration; registration number; and place of business.

Article 6

1.   The Council and the High Representative may process personal data in order to carry out their tasks under this Decision, in particular:

(a)

as regards the Council, for preparing and making amendments to Annexes I, II, III and IV;

(b)

as regards the High Representative, for preparing amendments to Annexes I, II, III and IV.

2.   The Council and the High Representative may process, where applicable, relevant data relating to criminal offences committed by listed natural persons, to criminal convictions of such persons or to security measures concerning such persons, only to the extent that such processing is necessary for the preparation of Annexes I, II, III and IV.

3.   For the purposes of this Decision, the Council and the High Representative are designated as ‘controllers’ within the meaning of Article 3, point 8, of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council  ( 5 ) , in order to ensure that the natural persons concerned can exercise their rights under that Regulation.

Article 7

1.   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, groups or entities listed in Annex I or II;

(b)

any natural or legal person, group or entity acting through or on behalf of one of the natural or legal persons, groups or entities referred to in point (a).

2.   In any proceedings for the enforcement of a claim, the onus of proving that satisfying the claim is not prohibited by paragraph 1 shall be on the natural or legal person, group or entity seeking the enforcement of that claim.

3.   This Article is without prejudice to the right of the natural or legal persons, groups and entities referred to in paragraph 1 to judicial review of the legality of the non-performance of contractual obligations in accordance with this Decision.

Article 8

It shall be prohibited to participate, knowingly or intentionally, in activities the object or effect of which is to circumvent the prohibitions set out in this Decision.

Article 9

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 10

1.   This Decision shall be kept under constant review. The names of natural or legal persons, groups and entities on the lists in Annexes I, II, III and IV shall be reviewed at regular intervals and at least once every six months to ensure that there are grounds for keeping them in those Annexes.

2.   The exceptions referred to in Article 2(8) and (9) shall be reviewed at regular intervals and at least every 24 months or at the urgent request of a Member State, the High Representative, or the Commission following a fundamental change in circumstances. Article 2(8) shall apply until 22 February 2027.

Article 11

1.   Articles 2, 3 and 3a of Common Position 2001/931/CFSP are hereby repealed.

2.   References to the repealed provisions shall be construed as references to the corresponding provisions of this Decision and shall be read in accordance with the correlation table in Annex V.

3.   Decision (CFSP) 2025/1577 and Decision (CFSP) 2026/421 are hereby repealed.

Article 12

This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union .

Schedules & Appendices

ANNEX I List of natural or legal persons, groups and entities referred to in Article 2(1)

ANNEX I

List of natural or legal persons, groups and entities referred to in Article 2(1)

A.    Natural persons

1.

ABDOLLAHI Hamed (a.k.a. Mustafa Abdullahi), born 11.8.1960 in Iran. Passport number: D9004878.

2.

AL-DIN Hasan Izz (a.k.a. Garbaya Ahmed, a.k.a. Sa’id, a.k.a. Salwwan Samir), Lebanon, born 1963 in Lebanon, citizen of Lebanon.

3.

AL-NASSER Abdelkarim Hussein Mohamed, born in Al Ihsa (Saudi Arabia), citizen of Saudi Arabia.

4.

AL-YACOUB Ibrahim Salih Mohammed, born 16.10.1966 in Tarut (Saudi Arabia), citizen of Saudi Arabia.

5.

ARBABSIAR Manssor (a.k.a. Mansour Arbabsiar), born 6.3.1955 or 15.3.1955 in Iran. Iranian and US national, passport number: C2002515 (Iran); passport number: 477845448 (USA). National ID number: 07442833, expiry date 15.3.2016 (USA driving licence).

6.

ASSADI Assadollah (a.k.a. Assadollah Asadi), born 22.12.1971 in Tehran (Iran), Iranian national. Iranian diplomatic passport number: D9016657.

7.

BOUYERI Mohammed (a.k.a. Abu Zubair, a.k.a. Sobiar, a.k.a. Abu Zoubair), born 8.3.1978 in Amsterdam (The Netherlands).

8.

HASHEMI MOGHADAM Saeid, born 6.8.1962 in Tehran (Iran), Iranian national. Passport number: D9016290, valid until 4.2.2019.

9.

HASSAN EL HAJJ Hassan, born 22.3.1988 in Zaghdraiya, Sidon, Lebanon, Canadian citizen. Passport number: JX446643 (Canada).

10.

MELIAD Farah, born 5.11.1980 in Sydney (Australia), Australian citizen. Passport number: M2719127 (Australia).

11.

MOHAMMED Khalid Sheikh (a.k.a. Ali Salem, a.k.a. Bin Khalid Fahd Bin Abdallah, a.k.a. Henin Ashraf Refaat Nabith, a.k.a. Wadood Khalid Abdul), born 14.4.1965 or 1.3.1964 in Pakistan, passport number 488555.

12.

SHAHLAI Abdul Reza (a.k.a. Abdol Reza Shala’i, a.k.a. Abd-al Reza Shalai, a.k.a. Abdorreza Shahlai, a.k.a. Abdolreza Shahla’i, a.k.a. Abdul-Reza Shahlaee, a.k.a. Hajj Yusef, a.k.a. Haji Yusif, a.k.a. Hajji Yasir, a.k.a. Hajji Yusif, a.k.a. Yusuf Abu-al-Karkh), born circa 1957 in Iran. Addresses: (1) Kermanshah, Iran, (2) Mehran Military Base, Ilam Province, Iran.

13.

SHAKURI Ali Gholam, born circa 1965 in Tehran, Iran.

B.    Legal persons, groups and entities

1.

‘Abu Nidal Organisation’ – ‘ANO’ (a.k.a. ‘Fatah Revolutionary Council’, a.k.a. ‘Arab Revolutionary Brigades’, a.k.a. ‘Black September’, a.k.a. ‘Revolutionary Organisation of Socialist Muslims’).

2.

‘Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade’.

3.

‘Al-Aqsa e.V.’.

4.

‘Babbar Khalsa’.

5.

‘Communist Party of the Philippines’, including ‘New People’s Army’ – ‘NPA’, Philippines.

6.

Directorate for Internal Security of the Iranian Ministry for Intelligence and Security.

7.

‘Gama’a al-Islamiyya’ (a.k.a. ‘Al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya’) (‘Islamic Group’ – ‘IG’).

8.

‘İslami Büyük Doğu Akıncılar Cephesi’ – ‘IBDA-C’ (‘Great Islamic Eastern Warriors Front’).

9.

‘Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)’.

10.

‘Hamas’, including ‘Hamas-Izz al-Din al-Qassem’.

11.

‘Hizballah Military Wing’ (a.k.a. ‘Hezbollah Military Wing’, a.k.a. ‘Hizbullah Military Wing’, a.k.a. ‘Hizbollah Military Wing’, a.k.a. ‘Hezballah Military Wing’, a.k.a. ‘Hisbollah Military Wing’, a.k.a. ‘Hizbu’llah Military Wing’, a.k.a. ‘Hizb Allah Military Wing’, a.k.a. ‘Jihad Council’ (and all units reporting to it, including the External Security Organisation)).

12.

‘Hizbul Mujahideen’ – ‘HM’.

13.

‘Khalistan Zindabad Force’ – ‘KZF’.

14.

‘Kurdistan Workers’ Party’ – ‘PKK’ (a.k.a. ‘KADEK’, a.k.a. ‘KONGRA-GEL’).

15.

‘Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’ – ‘LTTE’.

16.

‘Ejército de Liberación Nacional’ (‘National Liberation Army’).

17.

‘Palestinian Islamic Jihad’ – ‘PIJ’.

18.

‘Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine’ – ‘PFLP’.

19.

‘Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command’ (a.k.a. ‘PFLP – General Command’).

20.

‘Devrimci Halk Kurtuluș Partisi-Cephesi’ – ‘DHKP/C’ (a.k.a. ‘Devrimci Sol’ (‘Revolutionary Left’), a.k.a. ‘Dev Sol’) (‘Revolutionary People’s Liberation Army/Front/Party’).

21.

‘Sendero Luminoso’ – ‘SL’ (‘Shining Path’).

22.

‘Teyrbazen Azadiya Kurdistan’ – ‘TAK’ (a.k.a. ‘Kurdistan Freedom Falcons’, a.k.a. ‘Kurdistan Freedom Hawks’).

23.

‘The Base’.

ANNEX II List of legal persons, groups and entities referred to in Article 2(4)

ANNEX II

List of legal persons, groups and entities referred to in Article 2(4)

A.    Natural persons

[…]

B.    Legal persons, groups and entities

[…]

ANNEX III List of natural persons referred to in Article 3(1)

ANNEX III

List of natural persons referred to in Article 3(1)

[…]

ANNEX IV List of natural persons referred to in Article 3(4)

ANNEX IV

List of natural persons referred to in Article 3(4)

[…]

ANNEX V Correlation table

ANNEX V

Correlation table

Old numbering under Common Position 2001/931/CFSP

New numbering under Decision (CFSP) 2026/455

Article 2

Article 2, paragraph 1

Article 3

Article 2, paragraph 5

Article 3a

Article 2, paragraphs 10 to 13