The European Council announced the extension of the framework for imposing restrictive measures aimed at addressing the situation in Lebanon for an additional year, until July 31, 2024. The Council emphasized in a statement published by the Jordanian news agency "Petra" that the unified bloc is "ready to use all its political tools to help find a sustainable exit from the current crisis and to address further deterioration in democracy, the rule of law, and the economic, social, and humanitarian situation in Lebanon."
In a statement reported by the Italian news agency AKI, it was noted that this framework, originally adopted on July 30, 2021, provides the possibility of imposing sanctions on individuals and entities responsible for undermining democracy or the rule of law in Lebanon by continuously obstructing or undermining the democratic political process, such as hindering the formation of the government or seriously undermining the conduct of elections.
The sanctions also target those working to "obstruct or undermine the implementation of plans approved by the Lebanese authorities and supported by relevant international stakeholders, including the European Union, aimed at improving accountability and good governance in the public sector."