COUNCIL COMMON POSITION

of 3 September 1999

amending Common Position 1999/273/CFSP concerning a ban on the supply and sale of petroleum and petroleum products to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), and Common Position 1999/318/CFSP concerning additional restrictive measures against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

(1999/604/CFSP)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 15 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) On 23 April 1999 the Council adopted Common Position 1999/273/CFSP concerning a ban on the supply and sale of petroleum and petroleum products to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY)(1) and on 10 May 1999 Common Position 1999/318/CFSP concerning additional restrictive measures against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia(2);

(2) On 19 July 1999 the Council recalled its support for the democratically elected government of President Djukanovic in Montenegro and for the Republic of Montenegro's political and economic reform programme, and underlined the necessity to speedily exempt Kosovo and Montenegro from the oil embargo and other sanctions;

(3) Article 1 of Common Position 1999/273/CFSP and Article 4 of Common Position 1999/318/CFSP should be amended accordingly;

(4) The European Union considers the alignment of the Associated Countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Cyprus, Malta and the EFTA countries important to maximise the impact of this Common Position;

(5) Corresponding expeditious action by the Community is needed in order to implement the measures cited below,

HAS ADOPTED THIS COMMON POSITION:

Article 1

The following paragraph shall be added to Article 1 of Common Position 1999/273/CFSP:

"3. The prohibition referred to in paragraph (1) will not apply to the supply and sale of petroleum and petroleum products to the Province of Kosovo or the Republic of Montenegro for the purpose of activity carried on in, or operated from Montenegro or Kosovo, without prejudice to the applicability of this Article with regard to the rest of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia."

Article 2

The following paragraph shall be added to Article 4 of Common Position 1999/318/CFSP: "The prohibition referred to above will not apply to flights operated for commercial or private purposes between the Community and the Republic of Montenegro or the Province of Kosovo by non-Yugoslav carriers and Montenegro airlines, without prejudice to the applicability of this Article with regard to the rest of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia."

Article 3

The Presidency will request the Associated Countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Cyprus, Malta and the EFTA Members to align themselves with this Common Position.

Article 4

This Common Position shall take effect on the date of its adoption.

Article 5

This Common Position shall be published in the Official Journal.

Done at Brussels, 3 September 1999.

For the Council

The President

T. HALONEN

(1) OJ L 108, 27.4.1999, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 123, 13.5.1999, p. 1.