On 7 December 2020, the EU Council noted with increasing concern that the grave financial, economic, social and political crisis that has taken root in Lebanon had continued to worsen over the previous months and that the Lebanese population is the first to suffer from the increasing difficulties in the country. The Council has since then repeatedly expressed grave concern about the deteriorating situation in Lebanon. Despite repeated calls from the Union and other relevant international actors on Lebanese political forces and stakeholders to act in the national interest and to no longer delay the formation of a fully empowered government capable of meeting the country’s urgent needs and implementing critical reforms, there is no progress in the government formation process. Over eleven months have elapsed since the resignation of the previous government in August 2020 and nine months since the Lebanese Parliament designated a new Prime Minister-designate in October 2020 who has withdrawn in July 2021.

The European Union is ready to use all its policy instruments to contribute to a sustainable way out of the current crisis and to react to a further deterioration of democracy and the rule of law, and of the economic, social and humanitarian situation in Lebanon. In view of the gravity of the situation, a framework has been adopted for targeted restrictive measures against natural persons responsible for undermining democracy or the rule of law in Lebanon and natural or legal persons, entities or bodies associated with them.

Restrictive measures

Trade restrictions on defence-related products	Freezing of funds	Travel ban

Trade sanctions: Restricted products and transactions

Defence-related products
There is an arms embargo for export, technical assistance, brokering and financial assistance. Some exceptions apply.

Financial sanctions: Listed persons & entities, restricted services

There are currently no persons on the list of people whose funds and economic resources are frozen.

Other sanctions

EU Member States must prevent the entry into, or the transit through, their territories of listed persons.

To go further

Sanctions & Embargoes, by RespectUs	Namecheck by RespectUs	License Determination, designed by RespectUs
Indicate your product, transaction, customer, country, and get a full report on the applicable restrictive measure(s).	Search by name, first name, address, birth date, to see if a determined person or entity is listed, and thus subject to any sanction or restrictive measure.	Process your transaction, product, destination country and customer, to determine if a license is required for this transaction, or any other restrictive measure is applicable.

Legal texts

Council Common Position 2006/625/CFSP of 15 September 2006 concerning a prohibition on the sale or supply of arms and related material and on the provision of related services to entities or individuals in Lebanon in accordance with UNSC Resolution 1701 (2006)

Council Regulation (EC) 1412/2006 of 25 September 2006 concerning restrictive measures in respect of Lebanon

Council Common Position 2005/888/CFSO of 12 December 2005 concerning specific restrictive measures against certain persons suspected of involvement in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri

Council Regulation (EC) 305/2006 of 21 February 2006 imposing specific restrictive measures against certain persons suspected of involvement in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri

Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/1277 of 30 July 2021 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Lebanon

Council Regulation (EU) 2021/1275 of 30 July 2021 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Lebanon

Related information

Human Rights Watch - Lebanon. Human Rights Watch investigates and reports on abuses happening in all corners of the world.