The Council of the European Union has issued a corrigendum to the Greek language version of Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 of 17 March 2014, which imposes restrictive measures against actions undermining Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence. The correction, published on 6 August 2026, addresses an obvious error in Article 4(1) of the regulation, which concerns derogations allowing member state authorities to release certain funds or economic resources. The Greek text previously referred to "ορισμένων δεσμευμένων κεφαλαίων ή οικονομικών πόρων" (certain frozen funds or economic resources), but the word "δεσμευμένων" (frozen) has been removed, aligning the Greek version with other language versions. The correction does not alter the substance of the regulation, which remains fully in force.
The corrigendum, issued under procedure 2(b) for obvious errors in a single language version, was applied after member states were given three days to submit observations to the Council's rectification mailbox. The change clarifies that, by derogation from Article 2, member state authorities may permit the release or making available of certain funds or economic resources under conditions they deem appropriate, without the erroneous implication that only frozen funds are covered. This technical fix ensures consistency across all official EU languages, avoiding potential misinterpretation by national authorities and legal practitioners.
Regulation 269/2014, adopted on 17 March 2014, is a cornerstone of the EU's sanctions regime against Russia, targeting individuals and entities responsible for actions that undermine Ukraine's territorial integrity. The regulation has been amended numerous times to expand the list of designated persons and to align with evolving EU policy. The corrigendum does not introduce new measures or change the scope of the sanctions; it merely corrects a linguistic inconsistency in the Greek text.
The correction affects the interpretation of Article 4(1), which is relevant for EU member states' competent authorities when processing requests for derogations from asset freezes. By removing the word "frozen," the Greek version now mirrors the English and French texts, which refer simply to "certain funds or economic resources." This ensures that the derogation applies to all funds or economic resources listed in the annex, not just those already frozen, thereby clarifying the legal basis for releasing assets in specific circumstances, such as for basic needs or legal expenses.
Stakeholders most directly affected include EU member state authorities, which apply the regulation and process derogation requests, and EU-based financial institutions and companies that must comply with the asset freeze obligations. For these entities, the correction reduces ambiguity in the Greek-language version, which could otherwise lead to inconsistent application of the derogation provisions. The impact is minor, as the correction is purely linguistic and does not alter the regulation's legal effect. The Council's action reflects its ongoing commitment to maintaining the accuracy and uniformity of EU legal texts across all official languages, a routine but necessary administrative step in the management of the EU's sanctions framework.