EU sanctions against terrorism: Council strengthens the scope of the EU Terrorist List and maintains all existing listings 19:30 The Council expanded the scope of the EU[...]

The Council decided today to strengthen the scope of EU restrictive measures to combat terrorism, by expanding the listing criteria to:

• allow the EU to target leading members of EU-listed groups and entities, who play a key role in planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating terrorist acts
• allow for restrictive measures against persons, groups and entities that are associatedwith those involved in terrorist acts, including through their participation in financingor their involvement in terrorist training and recruitment

The Council also introduced a travel ban for listed individuals on top of the asset freeze and the prohibition on making funds or economic resources available to them.

In addition, the Council today also concluded the periodic review of the list of persons, groups and entities subject to restrictive measures for their involvement in terrorist acts, and maintained the list unchanged. Those listed remain subject to asset freeze and a prohibition for EU operators to make funds or economic resources available to them.

In its conclusions of 16 December 2024 on reinforcing external-internal connections in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, the Council underlined that terrorism and violent extremism, in all their forms and irrespective of their origin, continue to pose a major threat to the security of the Union and its member states.

Background

The EU Terrorist List, i.e. the sanctions regime to combat terrorism, is separate from the EU regime transposing UN Security Council resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) and targeting Al-Qaida and ISIL/Da'esh.

The EU may also apply restrictive measures autonomously to ISIL/Da'esh and Al-Qaida and persons and entities associated with or supporting them.

The EU terrorist list is also separate from the sanctions framework adopted in January 2024, targeting those who support, facilitate or enable violent action by Hamas or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

• Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/455 of 26 February 2026 on restrictive measures to combat terrorism, repealing Articles 2, 3 and 3a of Common Position 2001/931/CFSP on the application of specific measures to combat terrorism and repealing Decision (CFSP) 2025/1577 and Decision (CFSP) 2026/421
• Council Regulation (EU) 2026/456 of 26 February 2026 amending Regulation (EC) No 2580/2001 on specific restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities with a view to combating terrorism and repealing Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1578 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/420
• Sanctions against terrorism (background information)