Assist in evading sanctions
EU is targeting third countries
May 6, 2023 at 3:11 am
The EU has imposed numerous sanctions on Russia – but Moscow has also found numerous ways to get goods into the country anyway. They often go via third countries. A proposal is now coming from Brussels on how this should be prevented.
In the fight against circumventing sanctions against Russia, EU exports to third countries should also be able to be restricted in the future. According to EU sources, this is a proposal by the European Commission for an eleventh package of punitive measures for the war against Ukraine. It was sent to Member States on Friday.
Specifically, it is planned to create the legal possibility of restricting exports to third countries because of an alleged circumvention of sanctions as a deterrent. If this is not sufficient, then in a second step certain exports could actually be blocked. Goods that can be used for both civil and military purposes could be particularly affected. Night vision devices, which are used by hunters and security companies, but also by soldiers, were given as examples.
Examples of countries used to circumvent sanctions against Russia include Kazakhstan, Armenia and the United Arab Emirates. Turkey was recently certified by EU experts to react comparatively decisively to indications of sanctions being circumvented. Many products from the EU countries themselves have not been allowed to be delivered to Russia for months. In addition to dual-use goods such as night vision devices and drones, this also includes certain types of machinery and vehicles or certain computer chips.
Habeck speaks of export “to a considerable extent”
The permanent representatives of the 27 EU member states are to discuss the Commission’s proposal, led by Germany’s leading politician Ursula von der Leyen, next Wednesday in Brussels. The aim is to adopt the eleventh package of sanctions this month. In addition to the new instrument for export controls, it should also include punitive measures against other people and organizations that support Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
The fact that the federal government is fundamentally open to the plans of the EU Commission is considered certain. Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck had already spoken out in February for much stricter action against circumventing economic sanctions against Russia. The Greens politician said at the time that there were “clear circumventions from Germany” and emphasized that accepting violations of sanctions could not be accepted. “The interests of the people who are fighting for their freedom are betrayed here,” he said, referring to Ukraine and the Russian war of aggression. A paper by the Economics Ministry stated that foreign trade data indicated that EU-sanctioned goods were exported “to a considerable extent” from the EU and thus also from Germany to certain third countries and from there to Russia.