Following the U.S. government’s removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe in March 2024, the EU has now removed Zimbabwe Defense Industries (ZDI) from its sanctions list. This means that no Zimbabwean entity or individual remains under EU sanctions.
However, the EU has renewed the non-binding Council Decision 2011/101/CFSP, which allows it to designate or impose sanctions on any Zimbabwean entity or individual it deems to have βviolated human rights.β Such designations are often legally questionable, as they are made unilaterally and without due process. The decision enables the EU to enforce measures such as halting military equipment sales and aid, freezing assets, restricting financial transactions, imposing travel bans and coercing third parties to implement the sameβwithout the need for new guidelines.
It is important to note however that these EU guidelines are not legislation or regulations and, therefore, are not legally binding; they merely serve as recommendations for member states.
Nonetheless, the removal of all Zimbabweans from EU sanctions or restrictions lists remains a significant development in the fight against sanctions, reflecting the efforts of anti-sanctions organizations and diplomatic engagements that led to the removal of these illegal sanctions.
