EU Issues Humanitarian Sanctions Exemption

The European Council on Feb. 19 introduced a humanitarian sanctions exception across its "restrictive measures to combat terrorism" for a 12-month period. Under the exemption, organizations and agencies "certified as humanitarian partners of the EU or its member states" can "engage in transactions with listed individuals and entities" without prior authorization to deliver humanitarian aid or support other activities that help people meet their "basic human needs," the council said. The measure brings the EU's sanctions framework in line with the U.N.'s humanitarian carve-out, the council said.