Myanmar Gems Enterprise

NO.70- 072, Yarza, Thingaha Road, Thapyaygone Ward, Zabuthiri Township, Naypyitaw, Myanmar, WEB[http://www.mge.gov.mm/] (Place of registration: Myanmar)

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32021R0998&from=EN

Myanmar Gems Enterprise (MGE) is a state-owned enterprise controlled by the Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw), responsible for drafting rules and regulations and for supervising and granting permits to local private entrepreneurs, organizing emporiums and special sales for the productive hades and gems sale. MGE operates under the instructions of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MONREC), whose Minister has been appointed by the State Administrative Council (SAC). The Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw), has for a long time held significant jade and gemstone interests, especially through MGE’s leadership, which consists almost entirely of former military officials, and activities conducted by two military conglomerates (Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL) and Myanmar Economic Corporation Limited (MEC)). The coup of 1 February 2021 has put MGE back under military control, allowing the Tatmadaw to significantly control the gem sector. MGE generates revenue for different department of the Myanmar State and through its various activities described above, the Tatmadaw is ableto benefit directly or indirectly from the revenue generated by this sector, therefore contributing to its capabilities to carry out activities undermining democracy and the rule of law and to serious human rights violations in Myanmar/Burma.

EU

2021/998 (OJ L219I)

(Date of UN designation: 2021-06-21)

2021-06-21

EU

Restrictive measures in view of the situation in Myanmar/Burma

EU country specific

Myanmar

Asset freeze and prohibition to make funds available, Restrictions on admission

- All assets of the persons and entities listed in Annexes IV of Council Regulation (EU) 401/2013 should be frozen. It is also prohibited to make any funds or assets directly or indirectly available to them. The list of persons and entities concerned is included in the Financial Sanctions Database (linked). - Member States shall enforce travel restrictions on persons listed in the Annex of Council Decision 2013/184/CFSP.

In view of the absence of progress towards democratization and of the violation of human rights in Myanmar/Burma, on 28 October 1996, the EU reaffirmed the restrictive measures already in place, which included an arms embargo, and introduced additional ones, such as travel restrictions and the suspension of high-level bilateral governmental visits to Myanmar/Burma. In response to the positive developments and as a means of encouraging changes to continue, on 22 April 2013 the EU lifted all restrictive measures against Myanmar/Burma with the exception of the arms embargo and the embargo on equipment which might be used for internal repression. However, reacting to the systematic human rights abuses perpetrated by Myanmar/Burma military and security forces, in particular in Kachin, Rakhine and Shan states, the EU Foreign Ministers in February 2018 called for strengthened restrictive measures. Accordingly, in the course of 2018 the Council of the EU adopted additional measures that included an extension of the embargo on arms and equipment which might be used for internal repression, as well as targeted restrictive measures against senior military officers of the Myanmar armed forces. Derogations to the restrictive measures are possible, including the delivery of humanitarian aid. On 21 April 2022, the Council of the EU decided to renew the restrictive measures until 30 April 2023.