Sanctions Profile: Terrorism

As has been the case since they were first introduced, the UN currently does not impose its own listings under the sanctions but rather sets out a range of measures to be implemented by Member States, including targeted asset freezes.

The earliest form of the UN sanctions regime that now specifically targets ISIL (Da’esh) & Al-Qaida was introduced by UN Security Council Resolution 1267 (1999) in relation to Afghanistan, and required all Member States to impose an arms embargo, asset freezes, and travel bans on people and entities associated with Osama bin Laden or the Taliban, as designated by the relevant UN Sanctions Committee. In 2011, UN sanctions relating to Afghanistan were split into two regimes by UN Security Council Resolutions 1988 and 1989 – one targeting ISIL (Da’esh) & Al-Qaida, and the other specifically relating to Afghanistan and the Taliban. The ISIL (Da’esh) & Al-Qaida sanctions impose asset freezes, travel bans, and an arms embargo on people designated by the relevant UN Sanctions Committee. For more details on the Afghanistan and Taliban sanctions, see the Afghanistan country profile.

The EU implemented the UN’s general terrorism sanctions in 2001, by Council Regulation (EC) No 2580/2001. Currently, the EU’s general terrorism sanctions impose asset freezes on autonomously designated people and entities suspected of involvement in terrorism. It implemented what are now the UN’s ISIL (Da’esh) & Al-Qaida sanctions in 2002 by Council Regulation (EC) No 881/2002. Those sanctions impose targeted asset freezes and an arms embargo on people and entities designated by the UN Sanctions Committee and, since 2016, the EU has had the power to make its own autonomous listings under Council Regulation (EU) 2016/1686.

Summary of Current UN Sanctions:

General Terrorism

The UN requires Member States to take several measures designed to combat terrorism, including targeted asset freezes, travel bans, and the criminalisation of providing funds for terrorist acts.

ISIL (Da’esh) & Al-Qaida

Targeted

• Arms embargo
• Asset freeze
• Travel ban

Summary of Current EU Sanctions:

General Terrorism

Targeted

• Asset freeze

ISIL (Da’esh) & Al-Qaida

Targeted

• Arms embargo
• Asset freeze
• Travel ban