Council Regulation (EU) 2016/2137 of 6 December 2016 amending Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria

1 The prohibitions set out in points (b), (c) and (e) of Article 6 shall not apply to the purchase or transport in Syria of petroleum products or to the related provision of financing or financial assistance by public bodies or by legal persons, entities or bodies which receive public funding from the Union or Member States to provide humanitarian relief or assistance to the civilian population in Syria, provided that such products are purchased or transported for the sole purposes of providing humanitarian relief in Syria or assistance to the civilian population in Syria.

2 By way of derogation from points (b), (c) and (e) of Article 6, in cases not covered by paragraph 1 of this Article, the competent authority of a Member State, as identified on the website listed in Annex III, may authorise the purchase and transport in Syria of petroleum products or the provision of related financing or financial assistance, under the general and specific terms and conditions it deems appropriate provided that such purchase and transport: (a) are for the sole purpose of providing humanitarian relief in Syria or assistance to the civilian population in Syria; and (b) do not breach any of the prohibitions laid down in this Regulation. The Member State concerned shall inform the other Member States and the Commission of any authorisation granted under this paragraph within two weeks of any authorisation granted. The notification shall contain details about the authorised legal person, entity or body and about its humanitarian activities in Syria.

3 Nothing in this Article shall affect compliance with Council Regulation (EC) No 2580/2001 , with Council Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 or with Council Regulation (EU) 2016/1686 .

The prohibitions set out in points (b), (c) and (e) of Article 6 shall not apply to the purchase or transport in Syria of petroleum products or the related provision of financing or financial assistance by a diplomatic or consular mission, where such products are purchased or transported for official purposes of the mission.’;

1 The prohibition set out in Article 14(2) shall not apply to funds or economic resources made available by public bodies or by legal persons, entities or bodies which receive public funding from the Union or Member States to provide humanitarian relief in Syria or assistance to the civilian population in Syria where the provision of such funds or economic resources is in accordance with Article 6a(1).

2 In cases not covered by paragraph 1 of this Article, and by way of derogation from Article 14(2), the competent authority of the Member States, as identified on the websites listed in Annex III, may authorise the making available of certain funds or economic resources, under the general and specific terms and conditions it deems appropriate, provided that the funds or economic resources are necessary for the sole purpose of providing humanitarian relief in Syria or assistance to the civilian population in Syria.

3 By way of derogation from Article 14(1), the competent authority of the Member State, as identified on the websites listed in Annex III, may authorise the release of certain frozen funds or economic resources, under the general and specific terms and conditions it deems appropriate, provided that: (a) the funds or economic resources are necessary for the sole purpose of providing humanitarian relief in Syria or assistance to the civilian population in Syria; and (b) the funds or economic resources are released to the UN for the purpose of delivering or facilitating the delivery of assistance in Syria in accordance with the Syrian Humanitarian Response Plan or any successor plan coordinated by the UN.

4 The Member State concerned shall inform the other Member States and the Commission of any authorisation granted under paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Article within two weeks of any authorisation granted.’;

The prohibition set out in Article 14(2) shall not apply to funds or economic resources made available from the account of a diplomatic or consular mission where the provision of such funds or economic resources is for official purposes of the mission in accordance with Article 6b.’;

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