Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus and the[...]

On 23 October 2025, the Council adopted Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/2040¹.

Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/2040 imposed further restrictions in view of the involvement of Belarus in the Russian aggression against Ukraine. These include expanding the list of items which might contribute to Belarus's military and technological enhancement or to the development of its defence and security sector, as well as the list of goods subject to export restrictions which might contribute to the enhancement of Belarusian industrial capacities. The Decision further restricted the provision, to the Republic of Belarus, its Government, its public bodies, corporations or agencies or to any natural or legal person, entity or body acting on their behalf or at their direction, of software with certain uses in the banking and financial sector and services that contribute to enhancing Belarus' technological capacities. In addition, the Decision introduced a requirement for prior authorisation by the competent authority for any services provided to the Republic of Belarus, its Government, its public bodies, corporations or agencies which are not already subject to the restrictive measures set out in Decision 2012/642/CFSP. Furthermore, the Decision imposed restrictions on the provision of crypto-asset services, on the provision of certain payment services, and on the issuing of electronic money to Belarusian nationals, natural persons residing in Belarus, and legal persons, entities or bodies established in Belarus. The Decision also added exemptions necessary for humanitarian purposes, for the export, sale, supply, transfer or transport of pharmaceutical, medical or agricultural and food products, to ensure access to judicial, administrative or arbitral proceedings in a Member State, and for the recognition or enforcement of a judgment or an arbitration award rendered in a Member State. Finally, the Decision extended the prohibition to purchase, import or transfer certain items which allow Belarus to diversify its sources of revenue to all acyclic hydrocarbons.

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, and Ukraine align themselves with this Council Decision.

They will ensure that their national policies conform to this Council Decision.
The European Union takes note of this commitment and welcomes it.

¹ OJ L, 2025/2040, 23.10.2025, ELI: https://http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/2040/oj.