Afghanistan

Sanctions regime

Overview

UN Sanctions

UN sanctions were initially imposed in 1999, in response to actions of the Taliban, including providing sanctuary and training for international terrorist groups. In 2000, sanctions consisted of travel bans and asset freezes of Osama bin Laden and associates and an arms embargo on Afghanistan.  In 2011, the UN separated listings for the Taliban and its supporters from those for al-Qaida and Daesh, which remain under the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al Qaida sanctions regime.  Current UN sanctions on Afghanistan, consisting of asset freezes, travel bans, and an arms embargo, are overseen by the 1988 Sanctions Committee and are imposed pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1988.

EU Sanctions

The EU implemented UN sanctions relating to Afghanistan in 1999 by Council Common Position 1999/727/CFSP, followed by Council Regulation (EC) No 337/2000.  In 2011, the EU implemented the split in UN sanctions.  It implemented the Afghanistan specific sanctions, which target the Taliban, under Council Regulation (EU) No 753/2011 and Council Decision 2011/486/CFSP, and repurposed the existing regime (Council Regulation (EC) No 881/2002) to target only Al-Qaida.  The EU does not impose its own autonomous sanctions on Afghanistan.

UK Sanctions

On 1 January 2021, at the end of the Brexit transition period, The Afghanistan (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 came into force in the UK.  The UK regulations give effect to the UK’s UN obligations and substantially have the same effect as the EU regime.

US Sanctions

The US first implemented sanctions on Afghanistan in 2001 via EO 13224 which created a national emergency with respect the Taliban.  This was terminated in 2002 pursuant to EO 13268 and certain exceptions were introduced for property of Da Afghanistan Bank in 2022 by EO 14064.

Current UN Sanctions

UN sanctions were initially imposed in 1999, in response to actions of the Taliban, including providing sanctuary and training for international terrorist groups. In 2000, sanctions consisted of travel bans and asset freezes of Osama bin Laden and associates and an arms embargo on Afghanistan.  In 2011, the UN separated listings for the Taliban and its supporters from those for al-Qaida and Daesh, which remain under the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al Qaida sanctions regime.  Current UN sanctions on Afghanistan, consisting of asset freezes, travel bans, and an arms embargo, are overseen by the 1988 Sanctions Committee and are imposed pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1988.

Current EU Sanctions

The EU implemented UN sanctions relating to Afghanistan in 1999 by Council Common Position 1999/727/CFSP, followed by Council Regulation (EC) No 337/2000.  In 2011, the EU implemented the split in UN sanctions.  It implemented the Afghanistan specific sanctions, which target the Taliban, under Council Regulation (EU) No 753/2011 and Council Decision 2011/486/CFSP, and repurposed the existing regime (Council Regulation (EC) No 881/2002) to target only Al-Qaida.  The EU does not impose its own autonomous sanctions on Afghanistan.

Current US Sanctions

The US first implemented sanctions on Afghanistan in 2001 via EO 13224 which created a national emergency with respect the Taliban.  This was terminated in 2002 pursuant to EO 13268 and certain exceptions were introduced for property of Da Afghanistan Bank in 2022 by EO 14064.

Other Countries Sanctions

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