Ukraine Regime

1. COUNCIL REGULATION (EU) 2022/259 of 23 February 2022 amending Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.

On 23 February 2022, the Council of the EU decided to amend Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 and insert Article 6b concerning the possibility of a derogation from paragraphs 1 and 2 by the competent authorities of a Member State to release of certain frozen funds or economic resources belonging to the entities listed under entry numbers 53, 54 and 55 in Annex I. For further detail please kindly consult the attached document.

2. COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2022/260 of 23 February 2022 implementing Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine

On 23 February 2022, the Council of the EU decided to amend Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 to designate 22 persons and four entities under the list of persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures. For further detail please consult the attached document.

3. COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2022/261 of 23 February 2022 implementing Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine

On 23 February 2022, the Council of the EU decided to amend Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 to designate 336 members of the State Duma due to their vote in favour of a resolution to ask President Vladimir Putin to recognise the separatist-claimed parts of eastern Ukraine as independent states. For further detail please consult the attached document.

4. COUNCIL REGULATION (EU) 2022/262 of 23 February 2022 amending Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine

On 23 February 2022, the Council of the EU decided to adopt Decision (CFSP) 2022/264 amending Decision 2014/512/CFSP and imposing further restrictive measures prohibiting the financing of Russia, its government and its Central Bank. For further detail please consult the attached document.

5. COUNCIL REGULATION (EU) 2022/263 of 23 February 2022 concerning restrictive measures in response to the recognition of the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine and the ordering of Russian armed forces into those area

On 23 February 2022, in response to the signing by the President of the Russian Federation of a decree recognising the ‘independence and sovereignty’ of the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine and ordering Russian armed forces into those areas, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2022/266. Decision (CFSP) 2022/266 imposes restrictions on goods originating in the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine and on the provision, directly or indirectly, of financing or financial assistance, as well as insurance and reinsurance, related to the import of such goods, with the exception of goods having been granted a certificate of origin by the Government of Ukraine. In addition, Decision (CFSP) 2022/266 restricts trade in goods and technology for use in certain sectors in the nongovernment controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine, and prohibits services in the sectors of transport, telecommunications, energy or the prospecting, exploration and production of oil, gas and mineral resources, as well as services related to tourism activities in the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine.

For further detail please consult the linked document.

The Sanctions Monitoring Board urges all subject persons to keep alert and adhere to obligations outlined in the National Interest (Enabling Powers) Act.

Please be reminded that all EU/UN sanctions are directly applicable under Maltese law under the National Interest (Enabling Powers) Act, cap 365 of the Laws of Malta as linked here.

Should any of your clients be a person or entity who is listed under UN/EU or national sanctions or who is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by a listed person or entity, the freezing measures mentioned under article 17 of the Act apply.

The Sanctions Monitoring Board is to be informed immediately of the actions that have been taken in relation to the assets of such listed persons.

The Sanctions Monitoring Board may be contacted on sanctions.mfea@gov.mt on any issue relating to sanctions.

Please find below links to the:

EU Financial Sanctions Database

Consolidated UN Sanctions List

EU Sanctions Map

Sanctions Monitoring Board