North Korea: EU expands restrictive measures, adds 16 people and 12 companies

On 4 March 2016, the Council added 16 people and 12 entities to the list of targets subject to EU restrictive measures against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The decision transposes the new listings imposed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2270 adopted on 2 March 2016 in response to North Korea's nuclear test and rocket launch on 6 January 2016 and 7 February 2016, respectively.

The legal acts will be published in the Official Journal on 5 March 2016.

EU restrictive measures against North Korea were introduced on 22 December 2006. The existing measures implement all UNSC resolutions adopted after the DPRK's nuclear tests and launches using ballistic missile technology and also include additional EU autonomous measures. They target North Korea's nuclear, WMD and ballistic missile programmes. The measures include prohibitions on the export and import of arms, goods and technology that could contribute to these programmes. Both the UN and the EU, autonomously, also imposed measures targeting financial services, trade and transport. The EU last strengthened its measures on 22 April 2013, transposing UNSC resolution 2094.