Belarus Exclusion: Council Of Europe Membership Requirements

Belarus is the only European country that is not a member of the Council of Europe, an organisation that was set up to anchor human rights, democracy, and respect for the rule of law across the continent. The Council of Europe has been working to spread its values in Belarus and bring the country closer to the standards needed for membership. Belarus has participated in various Council of Europe projects and signed up to several conventions since 1992. However, in March 2022, following Russia's full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine, cooperation with Belarusian authorities was suspended. Despite this, the Council of Europe continues to engage with Belarusian civil society and democratic forces in exile, particularly targeting young people, independent media, and human rights defenders.

Belarus's suspension of its participation in the Eastern Partnership

Belarus has never been a member of the Council of Europe, despite the organisation's efforts to spread its values there and encourage the country to meet the standards required for membership. Belarus has, however, participated in the EU's Eastern Partnership.

On 28 June 2021, Belarus suspended its participation in the Eastern Partnership. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry stated that the country could not fulfil its obligations under the agreement while the EU imposed sanctions and restrictions. The EU had been imposing restrictive measures since October 2020 in response to developments in Belarus, including unacceptable violence against peaceful protesters, intimidation, and arbitrary arrests and detentions following the August 2020 presidential elections. The EU also condemned Belarus's involvement in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF) strongly condemned Belarus's decision to withdraw from the Eastern Partnership and the Readmission Agreement, stating that the principal victims of these measures are the Belarusian people themselves. The EaP CSF urged Belarusian authorities to reconsider their withdrawal as part of a de-escalation strategy and to cease the persecution and imprisonment of human rights defenders, journalists, civic activists, and students.

The suspension of Belarus's participation in the Eastern Partnership will be balanced by an increased role for civil society and the EaP CSF, which will strive to represent and channel the voice of Belarusian citizens within the newly revised EaP architecture.

The EU's condemnation of Belarus's involvement in Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Belarus has been a close ally of Russia and supported its neighbour in the invasion of Ukraine. In the lead-up to the invasion, Belarus allowed the Russian Armed Forces to conduct military drills on its territory, and Russian troops remained in the country after the drills were supposed to finish. Belarus also allowed Russia to stage part of the invasion from its territory, giving Russia the shortest land route to Ukraine's capital, Kyiv.

The involvement of Belarus in the conflict was condemned by Western countries, including the European Union, which imposed sanctions on the country. The EU has adopted a variety of measures in response to Belarus' actions, including individual and economic sanctions, restrictions on trade, a SWIFT ban for several Belarusian banks, a prohibition on transactions with the Central Bank of Belarus, limits on financial inflows from Belarus to the EU, and a ban on providing euro-denominated banknotes to Belarus.

The EU has also reiterated its support for democratic elections in Belarus and called on the country to fully adhere to the principles of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. The EU has further demanded that Belarus act in compliance with international law and its own commitments, including by stopping its collaboration in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.

In addition to the EU, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan have also imposed sanctions on Belarus for its involvement in the conflict.

While Belarus has denied the involvement of its military forces in the conflict, there have been reports of Belarusian troops in Ukraine fighting alongside Russian forces. Belarus has also allowed Russian missile launchers to be stationed on its territory and permitted the launch of attacks on Ukrainian targets.

The situation along the Belarus-Ukraine border remains tense, with Ukraine closing border checkpoints leading into Belarus, except in special cases.

The EU's restrictive measures against Belarus

The EU has imposed a number of restrictive measures against Belarus in response to the ongoing situation in the country and its involvement in Russia's aggression against Ukraine. These measures have been adopted progressively since October 2020, targeting individuals and entities responsible for repression, intimidation, and human rights violations in Belarus.

The restrictive measures include:

• Individual and economic sanctions: Targeting 22 people, including President Aleksandr Lukashenko and his son, Viktor Lukashenko, who is a National Security Advisor.
• Restrictions on trade: Including a ban on the trade of goods used for the production of tobacco products, mineral fuels, bituminous substances, and gaseous hydrocarbon products.
• SWIFT ban for five Belarusian banks: Prohibiting these banks from using the international payment system, impacting their ability to conduct financial transactions globally.
• Prohibition on transactions with the Central Bank of Belarus: Restricting the country's access to international financial systems and limiting its ability to engage in global trade.
• Limits on financial inflows from Belarus to the EU: Reducing the amount of money flowing into the EU from Belarus, impacting the country's ability to invest and conduct business in the EU.
• A ban on the provision of euro-denominated banknotes to Belarus: Restricting the country's access to one of the world's major currencies and limiting its financial flexibility.
• Travel bans and asset freezes for designated individuals and entities: Impeding those listed from entering or transiting through EU territories and freezing their assets held in EU financial institutions.
• Arms embargo: Prohibiting the sale, supply, transfer, or export of arms and related equipment to Belarus, including weapons, ammunition, and items that could be used for internal repression.
• Ban on flying over EU territory and accessing EU airports: Restricting Belarusian airlines' ability to operate within the EU and limiting the country's connectivity and transportation options.
• Restrictions on the provision of specialised financial messaging services: Limiting Belarusian credit institutions' access to essential financial infrastructure and services, impacting their ability to conduct international transactions.

The purpose of these sanctions is to pressure the Belarusian political leadership to prevent further violence and repression, release political prisoners, and initiate a genuine and inclusive national dialogue. The EU stands ready to support a peaceful democratic transition in Belarus and has expressed its unwavering support for democracy and human rights in the country.

The EU's sanctions on Belarusian officials, businesses and companies

The EU's sanctions on Belarusian officials, businesses, and companies have been imposed in response to the country's political situation and actions, including the regime's involvement in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions target individuals, businesses, and specific sectors of the Belarusian economy.

Since October 2020, the EU has progressively imposed restrictive measures, with six packages of sanctions issued so far. These sanctions target a total of 183 individuals and 26 entities, including both government officials and businesspeople associated with the regime. The EU has also targeted specific sectors of the Belarusian economy, such as imposing a SWIFT ban on five Belarusian banks and prohibiting transactions with the Central Bank of Belarus. There are also limits on financial inflows from Belarus to the EU and a ban on providing euro-denominated banknotes to the country.

The EU has made it clear that it does not recognise the results of the 2020 Belarusian presidential elections, condemning them as neither free nor fair. In response to the post-election crackdown on peaceful protesters, the EU imposed additional sanctions on Belarusian officials and entities. These sanctions were a response to the unacceptable violence, intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and detentions carried out by the Belarusian authorities.

The EU has also taken action in response to Belarus's involvement in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The EU has strongly condemned Belarus's role in the unprovoked and unjustified military invasion, stating that Belarus has facilitated and provided support for Russia's actions. As a result, the EU has adopted a variety of measures, including individual and economic sanctions targeting 22 individuals with ties to the Belarusian regime.

In addition to the sanctions, the EU has also provided humanitarian assistance to vulnerable people affected by the situation at the Belarus border. In November 2021, the EU allocated €700,000 in aid to support those stranded, demonstrating its commitment to mitigating the humanitarian impact of the crisis.

The EU's support for Belarusian civil society and democratic forces

Belarus is the only European country that is not a member of the Council of Europe. However, the Council of Europe has been working to spread its values in the country and bring it closer to the standards required for membership. Since 1992, Belarus has signed up to a number of conventions and has been included in various Council of Europe projects.

The EU has been supporting Belarusian civil society and democratic forces in several ways. In 2023, the EU Consultative Group with democratic forces and civil society was launched. The EU has also been providing substantial support to the people of Belarus in six key sectors: civil society, human rights, independent media, education, culture, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in exile. This support has amounted to almost €140 million through the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) from 2020 to 2024. The EU has also developed a close engagement with Belarusian people and civil society, stepping up support in education, mobility, youth and the facilitation of people-to-people contacts.

The EU has also been working to support successful economic reforms in Belarus and increase the economy's resilience, growth potential, and job creation. The EU stands ready to mobilise a substantial investment package for Belarus of up to €3 billion. This comprehensive plan of economic support will be implemented through a full range of political and financial instruments, closely calibrated and reinforcing the international financial institutions' support programmes, particularly the EIB and EBRD.

The EU has also been promoting human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Belarus. Following the falsified elections in 2020 and the subsequent crackdown on the people of Belarus, the EU has continued to call on Belarus to cease the brutal repression against civil society and ordinary citizens, immediately and unconditionally release and rehabilitate all political prisoners, and abolish the death penalty. The EU has imposed individual restrictive measures against 261 individuals, including Aliaksandr Lukashenka, and 37 entities. These individuals and entities are subject to an asset ban and a prohibition on making funds available. Natural persons are also subject to a travel ban, which prevents them from entering or transiting through EU territories.

The EU has also introduced targeted economic sanctions against Belarus, including prohibitions on sales of specific equipment, technology, or software; restrictions on trade in petroleum products, potassium chloride (potash), iron and steel, wood, cement, and goods for the production of tobacco products; broad financial restrictions; and a prohibition on providing insurance to the Belarusian government or public bodies. The EU has also tightened the arms embargo on Belarus and introduced a ban on the export of dual-use goods for certain uses.

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