28.2.2012 Official Journal of the European Union L 54/1 (Non-legislative acts) REGULATIONS COUNCIL REGULATION (EU) No 168/2012 of 27 February 2012 amending Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 215 thereof, Having regard to Council Decision 2011/782/CFSP of 1 December 2011 concerning restrictive measures against Syria (1), Having regard to the joint proposal from the High Represen- tative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the European Commission, Whereas: (1)  On 18 January 2012, the Council adopted Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 (). 2)  In view of the continued brutal repression and violation of human rights by the Government of Syria, Council Decision ~ 2012/122/CFSP (})  amending  Decision 2011/782|CESP  provides for additional measures, namely a prohibition on the sale, purchase, transpor- tation or brokering of gold, precious metals and diamonds, restrictive measures against the Central Bank of Syria, and amendments to the list of targeted persons and entities. (3)  Those measures fall within the scope of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and regulatory action at the level of the Union is therefore necessary in order to implement them, in particular with a view to ensuring their uniform application by economic operators in all Member States. (4)  Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 should therefore be amended accordingly. (5)  In order to ensure that the measures provided for in this Regulation are effective, this Regulation must enter into force immediately, () OJ L 319, 2.12.2011, p. 56. () OJ L 16, 19.1.2012, p. 1. (%) See page 14 of this Official Journal. HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 is hereby amended as follows: (1) the following article is inserted: ‘Article 11a 1. It shall be prohibited: (@) to sell, supply, transfer or export, directly or indi- rectly, gold, precious metals and diamonds, as listed in Annex VIII, whether or not originating in the Union, to the Government of Syria, its public bodies, corporations and agencies, the Central Bank of Syria, any person, entity or body acting on their behalf or at their direction, or any entity or body owned or controlled by them; (b) to purchase, import or transport, directly or indi- rectly, gold, precious metals and diamonds, as listed in Annex VIII, whether the item concerned originates in Syria or not, from the Government of Syria, its public bodies, corporations and agencies, the Central Bank of Syria and any person, entity or body acting on their behalf or at their direction, or any entity or body owned or controlled by them; and (¢) to provide, directly or indirectly, technical assistance or brokering services, financing or financial assistance, related to the goods referred to in points (@) and (b), to the Government of Syria, its public bodies, corporations and agencies, the Central Bank of Syria and any person, entity or body acting on their behalf or at their direction, or any entity or body owned or controlled by them. 2. Annex VIII shall include gold, precious metals and diamonds subject to the prohibitions referred to in paragraph 1.;