According to Circular No. 10/2016 issued on the 15th of April 2016 by the Department of Merchant Shipping, all registered owners, bareboat charterers, managers and representatives of ships flying the Cyprus flag or not flying the Cyprus flag but still calling at Cyprus ports must be aware of the new Prohibition Orders adopted by the EU Council with respect to restrictive measures adopted against Ivory Coast, Somalia, Central African Republic, Yemen and South Sudan.
In brief, the restrictive measures imposed relate to the prohibition of transportation of arms, weapons, and related materials of all types to certain persons in the above mentioned countries. Member states are authorized to inspect vessels in the territorial waters and on the high seas off the coast of the above mentioned countries as well as seize and dispose such cargo.
Inspections of vessels are carried out, in accordance with the said restrictive measures, as per the national authorities’ requirements and cooperation. Member States may, upon discovery of any items that the delivery, import or export is prohibited, seize and dispose of such items.
For more information on these instruments please visit:
- Somalia :EU Council Decision 2015/335/CFSP: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:JOL_2015_058_R_0014&from=EN
- Central African Republic: EU Council Decision 2015/739 & UN Security Council Resolution 2196 (2015): the impact of these instruments is to amend the list of exemptions to the general prohibition of transportation by Cyprus ships of arms and related material: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:JOL_2015_117_R_0008&from=EN & http://www.refworld.org/docid/54d36d384.html
- South Sudan: EU Council Decision 2015/740 & EU Council Regulation 2015/735: the impact of this instrument is to amend the list of exemptions to the general prohibition of transportation by Cyprus ships of arms and related material: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32015D0740 &http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2015.117.01.0013.01.ENG
- Yemen: UN Security Council Resolution 2216 (2015) & EU Council Decision 2014/935/CFSP: http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/RES/2216(2015)
- Ivory Coast: UN Security Council Resolution 2219 (2015) & EU Council Decision 2015/202 & EU Council Regulation 2015/192: the impact of these instruments is to amend the list of exemptions to the general prohibition of transportation by Cyprus ships of arms and related material: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32015D0202 & http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32015R0192
