HC Deb 27 February 2002 vol 380 cc1316-7W
Mr. Borrow

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sanctions the EU has imposed against Zimbabwe. [39606]

Peter Hain

On 18 February the General Affairs Council (GAC) of the European Union decided to implement targeted sanctions against the Government of Zimbabwe. The GAC expressed serious concern at continuing political violence, serious violations of human rights and restrictions on the media in Zimbabwe which call into question the prospects for a free and fair presidential election on 9-10 March 2002. The GAC noted that the Government of Zimbabwe had objected to having nationals of six EU member states accredited as observers for the forthcoming elections and refused to accredit the EU Chief Observer, Ambassador Pierre Schori.

The measures adopted are carefully targeted. They comprise:

  1. (i) a travel ban to apply to Robert Mugabe and to 19 members of his inner circle;
  2. (ii) an asset freeze to apply to the same individuals;
  3. (iii) an embargo on the sale or supply of arms to Zimbabwe;
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  4. (iv) an embargo on the provisions of technical assistance and training relating to arms;
  5. (v) an embargo on the sale or supply to Zimbabwe of equipment which might be used for internal repression.

The travel ban has been implemented by administrative means pending an order under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971.

The UK already has an arms embargo in place against Zimbabwe imposed on 3 May 2000 in respect of all applications for new licences for the export to Zimbabwe of goods and technology listed in part III, schedule 1, of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, as amended (commonly known as the Military List).

The asset freeze, the embargo on the provision of technical assistance and training relating to arms and the embargo on the sale or supply to Zimbabwe of equipment which might be used for internal repression fall within Community competence. These measures are implemented by an EC regulation which is directly applicable in the UK. The regulation came into force on 21 February 2002, the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Regulations under the European Communities Act 1972 will be passed to impose penalties for infringements of the regulation as required.

Copies of the Common Position and regulation listing those subject to the asset freeze and travel ban can be found on the European Union website: www.europa.eu.int.

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