On August 1990, in reaction to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on 2 August 1990 the European Union imposed an arms embargo on Iraq on 4 August.
On October 2003, due to the occupation of Iraq by the United States of America and the United Kingdom in 2003, Council Common Position 2003/735/CFSP (amending Common Position 2003/495/CFSP on Iraq) allowed the supply with arms and related material required by the occupying powers to serve the purposes of Security Council resolutions. The embargo on arms supplies to Iraq was maintained.
On 19 July 2004, the Council of the European Union adopted Common Position 2004/553/CFSP. It authorises the sale, supply, transfer or export of arms and related materials required by the newly established Government of Iraq.