Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/659 of 21 April 2022 implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1509 concerning restrictive measures against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/659of 21 April 2022implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1509 concerning restrictive measures against the Democratic People’s Republic of KoreaTHE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,Having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1509 of 30 August 2017 concerning restrictive measures against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and repealing Regulation (EC) No 329/2007OJ L 224, 31.8.2017, p. 1., and in particular Article 47 thereof,Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,Whereas:(1)On 30 August 2017, the Council adopted Regulation (EU) 2017/1509.(2)In its conclusions of 17 July 2017, the Council stated that the Union would consider further appropriate responses to actions by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (the "DPRK") that undermine the global non-proliferation and disarmament regime, notably through additional autonomous restrictive measures.(3)On 22 December 2017, the United Nations Security Council ("UNSC") adopted United Nations Security Council Resolution ("UNSCR") 2397 (2017), whereby it reaffirmed that the DPRK: is not to conduct any further launches that use ballistic missile technology, nuclear tests, or any other provocation; is to immediately suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile program and in that context re-establish its pre-existing commitments to a moratorium on all missile launches; is to immediately abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner, and immediately cease all related activities; and is to abandon any other existing weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner.(4)On 24 March 2022, the DPRK launched an intercontinental ballistic missile. The DPRK launched missiles on at least twelve occasions between 5 January and 24 March 2022.(5)On 25 March 2022, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (the "High Representative") issued a declaration on behalf of the Union condemning the launch by the DPRK of an intercontinental ballistic missile on 24 March 2022, which is a violation of multiple UNSCRs and a serious threat to international and regional peace and security. That declaration also called on the DPRK to refrain from any further action that could increase international or regional tensions and to comply with the relevant UNSCRs by abandoning all its nuclear weapons, other weapons of mass destruction, ballistic missile programmes and existing nuclear programmes, in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner, and ceasing immediately all related activities. The High Representative also declared that the Union stands ready to implement and complement, if necessary, any action that could be taken by the UNSC in response to the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile on 24 March 2022.(6)In view of the continued ballistic-missile-related activities carried out by the DPRK, in violation of and with flagrant disregard for the relevant UNSCRs, eight individuals and four entities should be included in the lists of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures in Annexes XV and XVI to Regulation (EU) 2017/1509.(7)Annexes XV and XVI to Regulation (EU) 2017/1509 should therefore be amended accordingly,HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: