Russia sanctions violated?
Ministry initiates investigations against Bosch
3/18/2022, 3:39 p.m
The technology group Bosch is said to have supplied components for Russian infantry vehicles – and thus violated a European export ban. The accusation came initially from the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, now the Federal Ministry of Economics is launching investigations.
According to “Spiegel” information, the Federal Ministry of Economics has launched investigations against the technology group Bosch. It should be clarified whether the company violated an export ban on goods that can be used for both civil and military purposes. The Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (Bafa) is preparing the procedure. There is a violation of EU sanctions, which since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 have only allowed the export of so-called dual-use goods under certain conditions.
The background to this is the accusation by the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba that Bosch components were found in Russian military vehicles, as the “Spiegel” reports in its new issue. The federal government passed on information about violations of sanctions directly to the responsible investigative and prosecuting authorities, the Ministry of Economic Affairs informed the magazine accordingly. This was done, the magazine reported, citing government circles. The public prosecutor’s office in Stuttgart and the Customs Criminal Police Office in Cologne are responsible.
Bosch told the magazine that “an intensive investigation was initiated immediately.” These are “ordinary control units for commercial vehicles”. The company had already rejected the accusation by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba that the company was said to have supplied components for Russian infantry vehicles. The component mentioned was not supplied by Bosch to the manufacturer, even if it was a part from Bosch’s own production. “Of course we comply with all previous and future legal and statutory requirements – including sanctions,” the statement said.
Investigations against other corporations possible
The group also announced that the automotive supplier Bosch had massively restricted its business in Russia in view of the war of aggression in Ukraine. This affects both deliveries to the country and local production. The trade in spare parts has already come to a standstill. The group also no longer supplies truck components to Russia and to Russian customers.
According to “Spiegel” information, other companies could come into focus, such as ZF Friedrichshafen. The supplier told the magazine that it had no knowledge “that ZF components were used in military vehicles of the Russian army or knowingly supplied by us”. The company is in contact with Bafa.
The Federal Ministry of Economics informed the report that it would inform the competent criminal investigation authority of any indications of sanction violations “according to the legal requirements”. The Ministry cannot comment on individual cases.