The European Union arms embargo on Iraq

The European Union arms embargo on Iraq

On 2 August 1990 Iraq invaded Kuwait. Saddam Hussein declared the invasion and later annexation took place due to an overproduction of oil in Kuwait what had cost Iraq over $14 Billion. The same day at the United Nations, the Security Council voted to condemn Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and demanded the immediate withdrawal of all Iraqi forces and subsequently embargoed most trade with Iraq (Resolution 660 and 661). Thereupon the European Union and its memberstates imposed an arms embargo on Iraq.

On November 29, the U.N. Security Council voted to authorize the United States and its allies to expel Iraq from Kuwait by force if Saddam refused to withdraw by January 15, 1991 (Resolution 678). The ultimatum elapsed wihout an Iraqi retreat and on 16 January 1991 'Operation Desert Storm' began. The allied forces repelled the Iraqi forces out of Kuwait. On 3 March 1991 the fighting came to an end and Iraq accepted all U.S. and U.N. demands. On 8 April 1991, at the conclusion of the Gulf War, the Security Council passed resolution 687, which contained an elaboration and modification of the terms of the earlier arms embargo.

On 22 May 2003 the Security Council formally ended all sanctions, except those related to the sale or supply to Iraq of arms and related materiel, other than those required by the occupying powers to serve the purposes of Security Council resolutions, in Resolution 1483.

Due to the occupation of Iraq through the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 2003 new measures were imposed. The arms embargo was not totally repealed. Council Common Position 2003/735/CFSP of 13 October 2003 (amending Common Position 2003/495/CFSP on Iraq) allows the supply with arms and related material required by the occupying powers to serve the purposes of Security Council resolutions.

On 19 July 2004, the European Union Council adopted Common Position 2004/553/CFSP, amending the Common Position of October 2003. It authorises the sale, supply, transfer or export of arms and related material required by the newly established Government of Iraq or the multinational force.


   

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