Sanctions against Eritrea

Description of the sanctions

1. Arms embargo

It is prohibited to sell or supply weapons and related materiel to Eritrea. Corresponding prohibitions apply to technical and financial assistance linked to such products. The arms embargo does not apply to protective clothing that is temporarily exported to Eritrea by UN personnel, representatives of the media, and humanitarian personnel and aid workers solely for their personal use. Nor does the arms embargo apply to non-lethal military equipment intended solely for humanitarian use or for providing protection following prior approval from the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee for Somalia and Eritrea.

Inspection regime

All Member States are called upon to inspect, in their territory – including seaports and airports – all cargoes to and from Eritrea if the state concerned has information that provides reasonable grounds to believe that the cargo contains items whose supply, transfer or export is prohibited. For this reason, special cargo declarations must be submitted for such transport.

2. Travel restrictions

A prohibition to enter or transit through the EU applies to individuals and entities listed by the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee for Somalia and Eritrea and that violate the arms embargo, provide support from Eritrea to armed opposition groups that aim to destabilise the region, etc. To date, no individuals or entities have been listed by the Committee or, consequently, by the EU.

3. Freezing of assets

All funds and economic resources that are owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by individuals or entities listed by the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee for Somalia and Eritrea and that violate the arms embargo, provide support from Eritrea to armed opposition groups, etc., are to be frozen. Nor may funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly, be made available to, or used for the benefit of, such individuals or entities. To date, no individuals or entities have been listed by the Committee or, consequently, by the EU.

Competent Swedish authorities

The Inspectorate of Strategic Products can respond to questions about the arms embargo but has no formal task in this context, since the exemptions are not conditional upon decisions by national authorities.

The Swedish Migration Agency and Sweden's missions abroad are responsible for applying the travel restrictions.

Försäkringskassan (the Swedish Social Insurance Agency) may grant exemptions from the freezing of assets of natural persons, but not for routine administration (see Finansinspektionen).

The National Board of Trade may grant exemptions from the freezing of assets of legal persons and entities, but not for routine administration (see Finansinspektionen).

Finansinspektionen (the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority) receives information about frozen accounts and may grant exemptions from the freezing of assets for routine administration.

Links to the competent authorities are available below.