Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania
- General Information
The international sanctions are non-military means imposed in order to preserve the international peace and security, as well the respect for human rights. The international sanctions, as a lawful instrument in the international politics, are established in the Charter of the United Nations. The sanctions imposed by the United Nations, the European Union and other international organizations are implemented against the states, natural and legal persons, as well as other subjects which violate the human rights, commit ethnical, territorial and religion conflicts, support terrorism or violate other international norms and principles.
The international sanctions, also called restrictive measures, aim to change the policy and actions of the state, natural or legal persons in question. The application of the sanctions regime is based on the principles of international law, democracy and respect for human rights and principal freedoms but not on economic interests. The international sanctions must be a proportional measure and aimed at the subjects responsible for concrete policy that is condemned by the international community.
The sanctions are also used in order to achieve the regional stability and security, implement export control of strategic goods and fight against international terrorism. The export control of strategic goods is also conducted taking into consideration foreign policy and national security interests of the Republic of Lithuania, commitments in the framework of the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union and criteria of the EU Common Position 2008/944/CFSP, other international organizations, as well as international non-proliferation regimes and other international export control instruments.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, acting according to the Law on the Implementation of Economic and other International Sanctions (2004), coordinates the implementation of international sanctions in the Republic of Lithuania and provide natural and legal persons with information about the issues pertaining to the implementation of the international sanctions. The relevant information is also submitted to the European Union and international organizations which have imposed the restrictive measures in question.
The international sanctions are imposed by the directly applicable regulations of the European Union and the resolutions of the Government of Lithuania which implements other legislation of the European Union, as well as resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and decisions of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
For more information on implementation of international sanctions please address the Lithuanian version of the website via www.urm.lt/sankcijos
- Types of International Sanctions and Responsible Agencies
The following five types of international sanctions are set out in the Law on the Implementation of Economic and other International Sanctions:
1. Economic sanctions (restrictions on the import, export, re-export and transit, including brokering, of goods for civil purposes, dual-use items, military equipment, services and technologies; restrictions on the trade with entities with respect to which international sanctions are implemented; restrictions on economic activities of natural and legal persons of the Republic of Lithuania in a state or territory with respect to which international sanctions are implemented; restrictions on economic activities in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania of the entities with respect to which international sanctions are implemented).
Institutions supervising the implementation of economic sanctions are the following:
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
- Ministry of Economy,
- Customs Department under the Ministry of Finance,
- Central Bank.
2. Financial sanctions (restrictions on the rights of entities, with respect to which international sanctions are implemented, to manage, use and dispose of cash, securities, goods, other assets and property rights; payment restrictions for entities with respect to which international sanctions are implemented; other restrictions on financial activities).
Institutions supervising the implementation of financial sanctions are the following:
- Financial Crime Investigation Service under the Ministry of the Interior,
- Customs Department under the Ministry of Finance,
- Central Bank.
3. Political sanctions (restrictions on official visits; restrictions on entry into, or transit through, a state or a territory with respect to which international sanctions are implemented; restrictions on entry into, or transit through, the territory of the Republic of Lithuania for the persons with respect to whom international sanctions are implemented; restrictions on diplomatic relations; other measures of political and diplomatic influence).
Institutions supervising the implementation of political sanctions are the following:
- Government and the ministries of the Republic of Lithuania,
- Migration Department under the Ministry of the Interior,
- State Border Guard Service under the Ministry of the Interior,
- Lithuanian State Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Economy.
4. Communication sanctions (means restrictions on transport (rail, road, water, air), postal, electronic and (or) other communication with entities with respect to which international sanctions are implemented).
Institutions supervising the implementation of communication sanctions are the following:
- Ministry of Transport and Communications,
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
- Communications Regulatory Authority,
- Civil Aviation Administration.
5. Public sanctions (restrictions on cultural, scientific, educational, sports and other public relations with entities with respect to which international sanctions are implemented).
Institutions supervising the implementation of public sanctions are the following:
- Ministry of Culture,
- Ministry of Education and Science,
- Department of Physical Education and Sports under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania,
- Lithuanian State Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Economy. - Legal Basis
Law on the Implementation of Economic and Other International Sanctions (2004) (available in Lithuanian only)
Law on the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (1997)
Law on the Control of Strategic Goods (2004)
Government Resolution “On the Approval of the Order of the Implementation of International Sanctions” (2004) (available in Lithuanian only)
Government Resolution “On the Implementation of Political Sanctions” (2008) (available in Lithuanian only)
Government Resolution “On the Approval of the List of the States to Which the Export or Transit of the Goods Listed in the Common Military List is Prohibited and for which Brokering in Negotiations and Transactions in the Goods Listed in the Common Military List is Prohibited” (2005, last amended in 2011)
Government Resolution “On the Approval of Common Military List” (2004, last amended in 2013)
Relevant EU legislation can be found at http://eeas.europa.eu/ (only the publications in Official Journal are legally binding: http://eur-lex.europa.eu)
Useful links:
- UN Security Council Sanctions Committees;
- EU External Action Service website on sanctions;
- Consolidated list of persons, groups and entities subject to EU financial sanctions;
- European Union Restrictive measures (sanctions) in force (please pay attention to the update date)
- EU Best Practices for the effective implementation of restrictive Measures (24 April 2008, doc. 86661/1/08);
- Guidelines on Implementation and evaluation of restrictive measures (sanctions) in the framework of the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy (15 December 2009, doc. 17464/09);
- The guidelines introduced new elements on 30 April 2013 concerning the prohibition on making available indirectly to listed persons or entities funds or economic resources through persons or entities owned or controlled by the listed persons or entities;
- U.S. Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control. - International sanctions related to terrorism
Lithuania implements international sanctions related to terrorism imposed by the United Nations Security Council (those are also being implemented with respective EU legislation) as well as autonomous EU restrictive measures.
These international sanctions are implemented according to the Law of Economic and other International Sanctions (available in Lithuanian only).
Lithuania has no autonomous restrictive measures to be implemented, as there is no national list of terrorists and persons or entities related to them.
UN Security Council restrictive measures
UN Security Council established two committees to work with international sanctions imposed for certain terrorist organizations and individuals and entities related to them:
- United Nations Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) coordinates the list concerning Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities.
Information on the work of the Sanctions Committee and related legal acts, on sanctions imposed and their exemptions as well as any other relevant information can be found on the website of Sanctions Committee.
- Committee established pursuant to resolution 1988 (2011) regularly updates the list concerning the Taliban and associated individuals and entities, which are subject to international sanctions (the travel ban, assets freeze and arms embargo). Information on the work of the Sanctions Committee, related legal acts, on sanctions imposed and their exemptions as well as any other relevant information can be found on the website of Sanctions Committee.
EU restrictive measures
EU also has its own measures against certain individuals and entities related to terrorism, which are subject to EU sanctions. Designated persons, groups and entities are listed in the so called “EU terrorism list”. This list is based on the EU Common Position 2001/931/CFSP (as well as the regulation (EC) No. 2580/2001) and legal acts amending or implementing them.
The Council of the EU has produced a factsheet on “The EU list of persons, groups and entities subject to specific measures to combat terrorism”. The mandate and working methods of the ‘CP 931’ Working Group, which considers listing and de-listing proposals for this list, are set out in Council document 10826/1/07 REV 1.
List of the EU Restrictive measures (sanctions) in force (please pay attention to the last update date) can be found in the EU EEAS website (follow the reference on the page 3 - Terrorist Groups (Foreign Terrorist Organisations)). However, only the legal acts published in the official journal are official and legally binding.
De-listing procedures
UN procedures
Persons and entities which are subject to the sanctions imposed by UN Security Council have the right to apply for delisting:
- Persons and entities listed in the „Al-Qaida“ sanctions list can address the UN Office of the Ombudsperson of the Security Council‘s 1267 Committee.
- Persons and entities listed in the Taliban sanctions list can address the Focal Point for De-listing.
EU procedures
Once the designation decision is taken, the designated person either receives a notification letter or a notice is published for his/her/its attention in the Official Journal of the European Union in the C series. The notification letter and the notice contain specific information on steps which the designated person can take to contest the listing decision. To access the Official Journal please consult eur-lex.europa.eu/JOIndex.do or eur-lex.europa.eu/.
Persons, groups and entities subject to restrictive measures under Council Common Position 2001/31/CFSP and, respectively, Council Regulation (EC) No 2580/2001, can:
- request the Council to reconsider their case, on the basis of supporting documentation via following address:
Council of the European Union
General Secretariat
DG C 1C
rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175
1048 Bruxelles/Brussel
Belgique/België
e-mail: [email protected]
- challenge the Council's decision before the Court of First Instance of the European Union, which is the General Court as a branch of the Court of Justice of the EU;
- request humanitarian exemptions to cover basic needs;
- challenge the decision of the national competent authority according to national procedures (e.g. a decision of a competent authority of Lithuania denying the granting of exemption can be challenged in court).
On the requests for authorisation on humanitarian exemptions, please address the column “Exemptions to international sanctions”.
Useful links:
- UN Security Council Sanctions Committees;
- EU External Action Service website on sanctions;
- Consolidated list of persons, groups and entities subject to EU financial sanctions;
- European Union Restrictive measures (sanctions) in force (please pay attention to the update date) (follow the reference on the page 3 - Terrorist Groups (Foreign Terrorist Organisations));
- European Union factsheet “The EU list of persons, groups and entities subject to specific measures to combat terrorism“;
- EU Best Practices for the effective implementation of restrictive Measures (24 April 2008, doc. 86661/1/08);
- Guidelines on Implementation and evaluation of restrictive measures (sanctions) in the framework of the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy (15 December 2009, doc. 17464/09);
- The guidelines introduced new elements on 30 April 2013 concerning the prohibition on making available indirectly to listed persons or entities funds or economic resources through persons or entities owned or controlled by the listed persons or entities;
- International Financial Action Task Force, FATF website;
- The FATF recommendations on meeting the international standards on combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism & proliferation;
- Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL);
- U.S. Treasury – Office of Foreign Assets Control - Freaquently asked questions
Commission of the EU has prepared the Freaquently Asked Questions document to help individuals and entities answer basic questions regarding implementation of sanctions. The FAQ document is available at: http://eeas.europa.eu/cfsp/sanctions/docs/frequently_asked_questions_en.pdf.
FAQ document might be found in all official EU languages at EEAS website: http://eeas.europa.eu/cfsp/sanctions/index_en.htm (see the Related links menu on the right side of the page).
If there are questions to clarify, please address the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (contact details in Contact information) - Contact Information
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Coordinating Authority)
Transatlantic Cooperation and Security Policy Department
J. Tumo-Vaižganto Str. 2,
LT-01511, Vilnius
Phone: +370 5 236 2517
Fax: +370 5 236 25 19
E-mail: [email protected]
Central Bank (financial and economic sanctions)
Phone: +370 5 268 0501 and +370 5 268 0502
E-mail: [email protected]
Civil Aviation Administration (communication sanctions)
Phone: +370 5 273 92 59
E-mail: [email protected]
Customs Department under the Ministry of Finance (economic and political sanctions)
Phone: +370 5 266 44 78
E-mail: [email protected]
Cummunications Regulatory Authority (communication sanctions)
Phone: +370 5 210 56 27 and +370 5 210 56 94
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
Financial Crime Investigation Service under the Ministry of the Interior (financial sanctions)
Phone: +370 5 271 74 56
E-mail: [email protected]
Ministry of Culture (public sanctions)
Phone: +370 5 219 34 56
E-mail: [email protected]
Ministry of Economy (economic sanctions)
Phone: +370 706 64 680
E-mail: [email protected]
Ministry of Transport and Communications (communication sanctions)
Phone: +370 5 239 39 68 and +370 5 239 38 84
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]
Migration Department under the Ministry of the Interior (political sanctions)
Phone: +370 5 271 94 91
E-mail: [email protected]
State Border Guard Service at the Ministry of the Interior (political sanctions)
Phone: +370 5 271 93 05
E-mail: [email protected]
State Department of Tourism at the Ministry of Economy (political and communication sanctions)
Phone: +370 706 64 985
E-mail: [email protected]
Social media