8.8.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities L 200/21 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1745/2000 of 3 August 2000 on the importation into the Community of rough diamonds from Sierra Leone THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 301, Having regard to Common Position 2000/455/CESP of 20 July 2000, concerning a prohibition on imports of rough diamonds from Sierra Leone (1), Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas: (1)  Inits Resolution 1306 (2000) of 5 July 2000, the United Nations Security Council, acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, decided that all States should prohibit imports of rough diamonds originating in, or coming from, Sierra Leone, unless they are covered by the system of certificates of origin approved by the competent authorities of the United Nations. (2)  These measures fall within the scope of the Treaty and, therefore, notably with a view to avoiding distortion of competition, Community legislation is necessary to implement the relevant decisions of the Security Council as far as the territory of the Community is concerned, such territory being deemed to encompass, for the purposes of this Regulation, the territories of the Member States to which the Treaty is applicable, under the conditions laid down in that Treaty. (3)  The Security Council has also called upon the United Nations Member States and international and regional organisations to apply these measures notwithstanding the existence of any rights or obligations conferred or imposed by any international agreement signed, any contract entered into or any licence or permit granted before the adoption of the aforementioned Resolution. (4 The ACP-EC Lomé Convention and the new ACP-EC partnership agreement signed in Cotonou, Benin on 23 June 2000, to which the Community and its Member States and Sierra Leone are Parties, do not pose an obstacle to the application of the said Security Council measures. (5)  Violations of this Regulation should be penalised and Member States should impose appropriate penalties to that effect. () O] L 183, 22.7.2000, p. 2. (6)  To facilitate matters, the Commission should be empow- ered to supplement andfor amend the Annexes to this Regulation on the basis of pertinent notifications from the Committee set up by Security Council Resolution 1132 (1997). (7)  There is a need for the Member States and the Commis- sion to inform each other of the measures taken under this Regulation and any other relevant information at their disposal in connection with this Regulation, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 The importation, be it direct or indirect, of rough diamonds as defined in Annex I originating in, or coming from Sierra Leone into the territory of the Community shall be prohibited. Article 2 Rough diamonds controlled by the government of Sierra Leone through the certificate of origin regime consistent with para- graph 5 of UNSCR 1306 (2000) shall be exempt from the measure referred to in Article 1. The modalities for this exemp- tion are set out in Annex IL Article 3 The Commission is hereby empowered to amend Annex I, in order to bring it in line with changes that may be made to the Combined Nomenclature, and to supplement andfor amend Annex II on the basis of the information and notifications supplied by the competent authorities of the United Nations, in particular the Sanctions Committee created by Resolution 1132 (1997). Any additions or amendments shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Atrticle 4 This Regulation shall apply notwithstanding any rights conferred, or obligations imposed, by any international agree- ment or any contract entered into or any licence or permit granted before its entry into force.