Turkey’s illegal drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean: EU puts two persons on sanctions list
Today the Council has placed two persons under restrictive measures in relation to Turkey’s unauthorised drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean. These persons are responsible for or involved in planning, directing and implementing offshore hydrocarbon exploration activities in the Eastern Mediterranean which have not been authorised by the Republic of Cyprus.
The restrictive measures consist of a travel ban to the EU and an asset freeze. Moreover, EU persons and entities are not allowed to make funds available to the two listed persons.
A framework for restrictive measures in response to Turkey’s illegal drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean was set up in November 2019 after the Council had repeatedly expressed its concerns and strongly condemned the drilling activities in various sets of conclusions, including European Council conclusions of 22 March 2018 and 20 June 2019.
- Official Journal of the EU
- Turkey’s illegal drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean: Council adopts framework for sanctions (press release, 11 November 2019)
- European Council conclusions on Turkey, illegal drilling activities and MH17 (press release, 17 October 2019)
- Turkey’s illegal drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean: Council adopts conclusions (press release, 14 October 2019)
- Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain third countries concerning restrictive measures in view of Turkey’s unauthorised drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean (press release, 31 January 2020)
