Serbia is again the only candidate country for EU membership from the Western Balkans that did not respect the new EU Council decision on restrictive measures due to undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Joseph Borrell, announced today that on November 14, the Council of the EU adopted Decision 2022/22331 which supplements the Council's decision from 2014 by adding two persons and two entities to the list of natural persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures for undermining or endangering the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. As stated in the announcement, the candidate countries for EU membership - North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine and Bosnia and Herzegovina as a potential candidate - have complied with the decision of the EU Council. The EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are also complying.

Those countries will ensure that their national policies are in line with the Council's decisions, and the EU notes that commitment and welcomes it, Borrell added in a statement. Serbia is the only EU candidate country from the Western Balkans that has not complied with five previous decisions on restrictive measures over Ukraine, made in July and September. It was not in line with either the EU Council's July decision to implement special measures in the fight against terrorism, or the EU Council's decision on restrictive measures against Iran adopted in June.