Nuclear and cyber security, fight against terrorism
Nuclear and cyber security, fight against terrorism
Global Community against Terrorism
Among 19 universal conventions and protocols the UN Security Council adopted several conventions related to terrorism. The most important of them is UN Security Council Resolution No. 1373, adopted on 28 September 2001, a few weeks after 9/11 attacks in New York and Washington.
In September 2006 Member States of the UN embarked upon a new phase in their counter-terrorism efforts by agreeing on a global strategy to counter terrorism. The Strategy forms a basis for a concrete plan of action: to address the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism; to prevent and combat terrorism; to take measures to build state capacity to fight terrorism; to strengthen the role of the United Nations in combating terrorism; and to ensure the respect of human rights while countering terrorism.
In December 2005, European Union has elaborated the Counter-Terrorism Strategy, based on four pillars: prevention, protection, pursuit and response.
Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism was also open for signature in 2005. The purpose of this Convention is to take effective measures to prevent terrorism, combat public provocation to commit terrorist offences and recruitment and training for terrorism.
Internal and external counter-terrorism aspects are regularly discussed in relevant EU working parties. The European Union institutions are coordinating counter-terrorism activities. The position of the EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator was established by the Council of the EU.
Other international and regional organizations and initiatives such as NATO, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Council of Europe, Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, Global Counter-Terrorism Forum, are addressing different aspects of counter-terrorism in their activities.
On the international sanctions related to terrorism follow here.
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).
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 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 The EU list of persons, groups and entities subject to specific measures to combat terrorism 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 sanctions lists 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 follow here.
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 |
|
|
sanctions@consilium.europa.eu |
- 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
- European Union Consolidated Financial Sanctions List
- 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));
- EU terrorist list
- 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
Lithuanian contribution in counter-terrorism
Terrorist threat to Lithuania is mostly external – the current internal security situation is not conducive for the internal terrorist groups’ formation.
Lithuania is actively participating in the international counter-terrorism frameworks. In 2013, during the Lithuanian Presidency to the Council of the EU, the Lithuanian representatives chaired the EU Council working parties on internal and external counter-terrorism aspects.
On 1 January 2014, Lithuania commenced a two-year term on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Lithuania took over the Presidency of the Council’s Counter Terrorism Committee and its relevant Working Group.
Social media
