1.Member States shall take the measures necessary to prevent the entry into, or transit through, their territories of:
(a)natural persons who are responsible for acts set out in Article 1(1);
(b)natural persons who provide financial, technical, or material support for, or are otherwise involved in, acts set out in Article 1(1), including by planning, directing, ordering, assisting, preparing, facilitating, or encouraging such acts;
(c)natural persons who are associated with the persons covered by points (a) and (b);
as listed in the Annex.
2.Paragraph 1 shall not oblige a Member State to refuse its own nationals entry into its territory.
3.Paragraph 1 shall be without prejudice to the cases where a Member State is bound by an obligation under international law, namely:
(a)as a host country of an international intergovernmental organisation;
(b)as a host country of an international conference convened by, or under the auspices of, the United Nations;
(c)under a multilateral agreement conferring privileges and immunities; or
(d)pursuant to the 1929 Treaty of Conciliation (Lateran Pact) concluded by the Holy See (Vatican City State) and Italy.
4.Paragraph 3 shall be considered to apply also in cases where a Member State is host country of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
5.The Council shall be duly informed in all cases where a Member State grants an exemption pursuant to paragraph 3 or 4.
6.Member States may grant exemptions from the measures imposed under paragraph 1 where travel is justified on the grounds of urgent humanitarian need, or on grounds of attending intergovernmental meetings or meetings promoted or hosted by the Union, or hosted by a Member State holding the Chairmanship in office of the OSCE, where a political dialogue is conducted that directly promotes the policy objectives of restrictive measures, including the ending of serious human rights violations and abuses and the furthering of human rights.
7.Member States may also grant exemptions from the measures imposed under paragraph 1 where entry or transit is necessary for the fulfilment of a judicial process.
8.A Member State wishing to grant exemptions referred to in paragraph 6 or 7 shall notify the Council in writing. The exemption shall be deemed to be granted unless one or more of the Council members raises an objection in writing within two working days of receiving notification of the proposed exemption. Should one or more of the Council members raise an objection, the Council, acting by a qualified majority, may decide to grant the proposed exemption.
9.Where, pursuant to paragraph 3, 4, 6, 7 or 8, a Member State authorises the entry into, or transit through its territory of persons listed in the Annex, the authorisation shall be strictly limited to the purpose for which it is given and to the persons directly concerned thereby.