On 16 October 2017, the European Union (“EU“) issued a statement on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (“JCPOA“), following United States (“US“) President Trump’s decision not to certify Iran’s compliance with the JCPOA. On 13 October 2017, US President Trump announced that he will not terminate the JCPOA, but that he also will not certify that Iran is complying with it and he demands strict(er) compliance with the accord. In fact, this means that US Congress now has sixty days to decide whether to re-impose the US Iran sanctions regime, as it was applicable before the JCPOA.
In a reaction, the EU considers that it is committed to the continued full and effective implementation of all parts of the JCPOA. The EU also indicates, that the US President decision is “an internal US process” and it encourages the US to maintain its commitment to the JCPOA and to consider the implications for the security of the US, its partners and the region before taking further steps.
The official EU press release can be found here and the official White House press release can be found here.