Council adopts 21st sanctions package against Russia
On 23rd July, the Council of the EU has adopted its 21st package of sanctions against Russia, introducing further measures affecting trade, customs and sanctions compliance, especially Crypto, Energy and financial services.
The package notably expands export restrictions on goods and technologies used by Russia’s military industry, including:
- nickel and beryllium powders;
- certain metals and alloys used in aerospace applications;
- self-adhesive films, tapes and strips used in the aerospace and defence sectors;
- equipment and components specifically related to unmanned aerial vehicles, including ground-support equipment, launch systems, jamming and interception systems, servomotors and flight-termination systems for drones and missiles.
The EU has also added 51 entities to the list of companies subject to enhanced export restrictions on dual-use goods and technologies. These include entities located in China, Hong Kong, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye and the UAE that are considered to be supporting Russia’s military-industrial complex or the circumvention of EU sanctions.
On the import side, new restrictions cover products generating significant revenues for Russia, including certain copper, nickel, lead and precious-metal ores, unwrought zinc, metal oxides, glassware, imitation pearls and car parts. Similar trade restrictions have also been introduced in relation to Belarus.
The package additionally expands sanctions against banks, financial institutions, crypto-service providers, transport infrastructure and other entities involved in sanctions circumvention.
Companies engaged in international trade should therefore review:
- the classification and potential dual-use nature of exported products and components;
- customers, suppliers, distributors, banks and logistics partners against the updated sanctions lists;
- transactions involving higher-risk third countries;
- contractual safeguards against re-export or diversion to Russia or Belarus.
The relevant legal acts and detailed customs classifications will shortly be published in the Official Journal of the EU. More information below:
