Council EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) adopts the 16th package of sanctions against Russia. As Russia's illegal aggression enters its fourth year, this package is designed to further increase pressure on the aggressor and is part of the EU's unwavering commitment to achieving a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.
The 16th package targets systemically important sectors of the Russian economy, such as energy, trade, transport, infrastructure and financial services. It also adds additional measures to combat circumvention. In order to reduce the risk of circumvention of our sanctions, some of the provisions of the 16th package are now reflected in the sanctions regime against Belarus. In addition, the EU has updated and strengthened its sanctions regimes on Crimea and Sevastopol and on the government-controlled areas of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhya regions.
The sixteenth package contains the following key elements:
ANTI-CIRCUMVENTION MEASURES
- Today's package covers an additional 74 vessels, bringing the total number of vessels on the list to 153. These vessels are part of the shadow fleet or contributed to Russia's energy revenues.
- The measures add a new criterion for listing and target those who support the operation of unsafe oil tankers.
- The package imposes targeted export restrictions on 53 new companies that support Russia's military-industrial complex or are involved in sanctions evasion. These include 34 companies in countries other than Russia.
OTHER LISTS
- Today's package contains 83 additional lists, including 48 individuals and 35 entities, such as those supporting Russia's military-industrial complex, those active in sanctions evasion, Russian cryptocurrency exchanges, and the maritime sector.
- The 16th package also adds another new criterion for listing persons and entities that are part of, support or benefit from the Russian military-industrial complex.
TRADE MEASURES
An outright ban on Russian aluminium imports:
- In addition to the already existing ban on imports of processed aluminium goods from Russia, this package includes a ban on imports of primary aluminium from Russia into the EU.
- In order to ensure a smooth transition for businesses, a quota mechanism is being put in place to allow 275 000 tonnes, equivalent to 80 % of EU imports in 2024, to be used over a 12-month period.
The restrictions on the export of dual-use items have been expanded to include additional items to limit Russia's access to key technologies it uses on the battlefield, which include:
- dual-use chemical precursors for the production of chloropicrin and other riot control agents, which Russia uses as chemical weapons in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
- Software related to computer numerical control (CNC) machine tools used to manufacture weapons and video game controllers used by the Russian military to pilot drones on the battlefield.
- Chromium ores and compounds for their military applications.
Limited derogations and exemptions for certain exports of dual-use and high-technology goods, such as for medical purposes, have been clarified and further tightened to promote effective enforcement by customs and licensing authorities.
In addition, further restrictions on the export of industrial goods have been imposed, specifically targeting minerals, chemicals, steel, glass materials and fireworks of special military significance.
ENERGY MEASURES
- The EU has decided to completely ban the temporary storage of Russian oil or oil products in EU ports or placing them in a free zone, which was previously allowed if the oil met a price ceiling and was destined for a third country.
- The package extends the ban on the provision of goods, technology and services for the completion of Russian LNG projects to cover oil production projects in Russia, such as the Vostok project.
- The package expands the existing software ban to restrict the export, supply or provision of oil and gas exploration software to Russia.
TRANSPORT MEASURES
- The package extends the flight ban to allow the listing of third country carriers that operate domestic flights in Russia or supply air cargo to Russian airlines or for domestic flights in Russia. If these airlines are listed, they will not be allowed to fly to the EU.
- Road transport ban: the package adds an amendment to prevent Russia's shareholding in EU road transport companies from increasing above 25 %, thus closing potential loopholes for circumventing existing sanctions.
INFRASTRUCTURE MEASURES
A complete ban on transactions with specific Russian infrastructures: two Moscow airports (Vnukovo and Zhukovsky airports), four regional airports and the Volga port of Astrakhan and the port of Makhachkala on the Caspian Sea. Also included are the seaports of Ust-Luga and Primorsk on the Baltic Sea and Novorossiysk on the Black Sea.
Ban on construction services provided by EU operators in Russia.
MEASURES IN THE FINANCIAL SECTOR
Russia has redirected much of its financial flows through smaller banks. The 16th package strengthens our measures in the financial sector. In particular:
- Addition of 13 financial institutions to the list of entities subject to the ban on providing specialised financial messaging services.
- Adding three banks to the ban on transactions for their use of the Russian Central Bank's Financial Reporting System (FRS) to circumvent EU sanctions.
- Extension of the transaction ban to allow the EU to list financial institutions and crypto-asset providers involved in circumventing oil price restrictions and facilitating transactions with listed shadow fleet vessels.
MEASURES AGAINST MISINFORMATION
- Suspension of eight other EU or EU-focused media outlets for their role in supporting and justifying Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
EU sanctions remain at the heart of the EU's response to Russia's unjustified military aggression against Ukraine, as they reduce Russia's military and technological potential, deprive the Kremlin of the revenue it uses to finance the war, and impose ever higher costs on the Russian economy. In this respect, the sanctions contribute to the EU's key objective of continuing to pursue a just and lasting peace. Their effects grow over time as sanctions undermine Russia's industrial and technological base. The European Commission, as guardian of the EU Treaties, ensures the consistent implementation of EU sanctions by EU Member States and oversees their enforcement.
Russia is actively trying to circumvent the sanctions. This is clear evidence that our measures are having an impact. It also calls on us to redouble our efforts to combat sanctions circumvention and to ask certain third countries to cooperate more closely. EU Sanctions Commissioner David O'Sullivan continues his outreach to third countries to combat sanctions evasion. Working with like-minded partners, we have also agreed on a list of common high-priority goods that are subject to sanctions and for which companies should apply special due diligence and which third countries should not re-export to Russia. In addition, we have also developed a list of sanctioned goods within the EU that are economically critical and against which businesses and third countries should be particularly vigilant.
europa.eu/ gnews.cz - RoZ
PHOTO - X Jan Lipavský
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