Source · Select Committees · Committees on Arms Export Controls
Recommendation 40
40
Accepted
Paragraph: 124
We welcome the sanctions put in place following the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and...
Recommendation
We welcome the sanctions put in place following the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. However, it is unacceptable that the EU sanctions legislation in 2014 included a prior contracts clause permitting licences where the export concerned the execution of an obligation arising from a contract or an agreement concluded before 1 August 2014. In response to our report the Government should set out the lessons learned from this incident and how it will ensure this situation is not repeated. Following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU it will be necessary to coordinate efforts with the EU with regards to Russia and Ukraine and future crises.
Government Response Summary
The government will ensure that future sanctions legislation does not include a prior contracts clause, to prevent the export of goods that could be used to undermine security or violate international law.
Paragraph Reference:
124
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Government welcomes the Committees’ support for the sanctions put in place following the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. We note the concerns regarding the EU sanctions legislation in 2014 which included a prior contracts clause permitting licences where the export concerned the execution of an obligation arising from a contract or an agreement concluded before 1 August 2014. The UK has always taken a robust approach to sanctions enforcement. We have learned lessons from the EU sanctions legislation in 2014 and will ensure that future sanctions legislation does not include a prior contracts clause. This will ensure that we can take swift and effective action to prevent the export of goods that could be used to undermine our security or violate international law.