The European Council adopted Monday a twelfth package of economic and individual restrictive measures in view of the continued Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
Additions included a ban on Russian diamonds, enhanced end-user and dual-use controls, and commodity import bans, including Propane (LPG). The measure also included a "significant" expansion of sanctioned individuals and entities.
The agreed package includes the following measures:
The EU is imposing a prohibition on the direct or indirect import, purchase or transfer of diamonds from Russia. This prohibition applies to diamonds originating in Russia, diamonds exported from Russia, diamonds transiting Russia and Russian diamonds when processed in third countries.
A direct ban applies to non-industrial natural and synthetic diamonds as well as diamond jewellery, as of 1 January 2024. Furthermore, an indirect import ban of Russian diamonds when processed (i.e. cut and/or polished) in third countries, including jewellery incorporating diamonds originating in Russia, will be phased in progressively as of 1 March 2024 and be completed by 1 September 2024. This phasing-in of indirect import bans is justified by the need to deploy a traceability mechanism that enables effective enforcement measures and minimises disruptions for the EU market.
Long contentious with member state Belgium, the ban of Russian diamonds is part of a G7 effort to develop an internationally coordinated diamond ban that aims at depriving Russia of this important revenue source.
Today’s decision requires that EU exporters contractually prohibit re-exportation to Russia and re-exportation for use in Russia of particularly sensitive goods and technology, when selling, supplying, transferring or exporting to a third country, with the exception of partner countries. The clause covers prohibited items used in Russian military systems found on the battlefield in Ukraine or critical to the development, production or use of those Russian military systems, as well as aviation goods and weapons.
The Council added 29 new entities to the list of those directly supporting Russia’s military and industrial complex in its war of aggression against Ukraine. They will be subject to tighter export restrictions concerning dual use goods and technologies, as well as goods and technology which might contribute to the technological enhancement of Russia’s defence and security sector. Some of these 29 entities belong to third countries involved in the circumvention of trade restrictions, or are Russian entities involved in the development, production and supply of electronic components for Russia’s military and industrial complex.
Furthermore, today's decision expands the list of restricted items that could contribute to the technological enhancement of Russia’s defence and security sector to include: chemicals, lithium batteries, thermostats, DC motors and servomotors for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), machine tools and machinery parts.
Lastly, the EU introduced further restrictions on imports of goods which generate significant revenues for Russia and thereby enable the continuation of its war of aggression against Ukraine, such pig iron and spiegeleisen, copper wires, aluminium wires, foil, tubes and pipes for a total value of €2,2 billion per year. A new import ban is introduced on liquefied propane (LPG) with a 12-month transitional period.
Lastly, the Council decided to introduce some exemptions to import restrictions concerning personal use items, such as personal hygiene items, or clothing worn by travellers or contained in their luggage, and for cars that have a diplomatic vehicle registration plate to enter the EU. Additionally, in order to facilitate the entry into the Union of EU citizens living in Russia, member states can authorise the entry of their cars provided that the cars are not for sale and are driven for strictly personal use.
The transit ban that currently applies to dual use goods and technologies exported from the EU to third countries via the territory of Russia will be extended to all battlefield goods.
In order to further limit circumvention, today’s decision includes a ban on Russian nationals from owning, controlling or holding any posts on the governing bodies of the legal persons, entities or bodies providing crypto-asset wallet, account or custody services to Russian persons and residents.
Additionally, the existing prohibition on the provision of services will be extended to also include the provision of software for the management of enterprises and software for industrial design and manufacture.
Lastly the EU is imposing notification requirements for the transfer of funds outside the EU by any entity established in the EU that is owned or controlled by an entity established in Russia, or by a Russian national or natural person residing in Russia.
The Council is introducing tighter compliance rules to support the implementation of the oil price cap and clamp down on circumvention. Furthermore a strengthened information sharing mechanism will allow better identification of vessels and entities carrying out deceptive practices, such as ship-to-ship transfers used to conceal the origin or destination of cargo and AIS manipulations, while transporting Russian crude oil and petroleum products.
The Council also decided to introduce notification rules for the sale of tankers to any third country in order to make more transparent their sale and export, in particular in the case of second-hand carriers that could be used to evade the import ban on Russian crude or petroleum products and the G7 Price Cap.
Today’s decision adds Switzerland to a list of partner countries which apply a set of restrictive measures on imports of iron and steel from Russia, and a set of import control measures that are substantially equivalent to those of the EU.
It also extends the wind-down periods for the import of specific steel products.
Council decided to impose restrictive measures on an additional 61 individuals and 86 entities responsible for actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.
These new listings target primarily the military and defence sectors. The Council is listing more than 40 companies taking part in the Russian military industrial complex, 7 Russian private military companies and one of their founders, 12 Belarusian individuals involved in the military support to Russia’s war against Ukraine, and further Russian officials and Russian businesspersons in the defence sector.
Furthermore, restrictive measures will apply to important economic actors: AlfaStrakhovanie Group, one of the biggest insurance companies in Russia, Rosfinmonitoring, the Federal Service for Financial Monitoring, four telecom companies in the territories of Ukraine that Russia has temporarily occupied: LLC Mirtelecom, LLC SC Lyukstrans, JSC Krymtelecom, and JSC Beto and further Russian businesspersons.
Among the listed individuals and entities, there are also 14 members of the Central Election Committee of the Russian Federation, and 2 members of regional committees which have been responsible for organising illegal referenda in 2022 and the so-called illegal elections in September 2023 in the territories of Ukraine that Russia has temporarily occupied, along with those responsible for the military re-education of Ukrainian children, including the movement “Volunteers of Victory, the AvangardCenter and the Crimea Patriot Centre.
Lastly, listings will also cover the Russian IT sector, 2 entities and 2 individuals responsible for circumventing EU sanctions, as well as actors spreading disinformation and propaganda in support of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, including Tsargrad TV Channel, and Spas TV Channel, Russian propaganda media outlets.
The Council also extended the listing criteria so as to include individuals and entities responsible for the forced take-over of EU companies established in Russia, and those benefiting from it.
Moreover, the Council set out the conditions for the possibility to maintain deceased persons on the list if it considers there is a likelihood that the assets concerned would otherwise be used to finance Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine or other actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.
In the European Council conclusions of 26-27 October 2023, the EU reiterated its resolute condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a manifest violation of the UN Charter and reaffirmed the EU’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and its inherent right of self-defence against the Russian aggression.
The European Union will continue to provide strong financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people for as long as it takes.
The relevant legal acts will soon be published in the Official Journal of the EU.
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