Explanatory note

This Order, made under the United Nations Act 1946, amends the Iraq (United Nations Sanctions) Order 2000 (the “2000 Order”) which gave effect to certain aspects of the sanctions imposed against Iraq by the United Nations in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1483 (2003) of 22nd May 2003; and revokes various superseded provisions of the Iraq (United Nations Sanctions) Order 2003.

Article 5(2) of the Order clarifies the territorial extent of the 2000 Order.

Article 5(3)(v) amends the definition of “Sanctions Committee” in the 2000 Order to take account of the fact that on 24th November 2003 the United Nations adopted a further resolution which established a new Committee for the purposes of identifying persons for the purposes of certain provisions of the resolutions adopted on 22nd May 2003. The remaining provisions of article 5(3) amend or insert various other definitions in the 2000 Order in consequence of the changes made by the rest of article 5 and to give effect to guidance issued by the United Nations Security Council Committee established pursuant to Resolution 661 (1990) on the meaning of terms used in Resolution 1483 (2003).

The remaining provisions of article 5 amend the 2000 Order to make improvements in the operation of that Order. In particular, provision has been made for persons listed at UN level to automatically fall within the UK sanctions regime without the need for a direction to be given by the Treasury as well as to clarify the powers that the Treasury have to direct that funds are to be frozen.

Article 6 makes transitional provisions in respect of directions given by the Treasury, and funds covered by notices published, prior to the coming into force of this Order.