The European Commission has sent EU countries a draft proposal for the 14th package of sanctions against Russia. Despite not planning a full embargo, it includes, among other things, restrictions on imports of Russia’s liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Some details of the proposal were obtained and shared by Polish Radio.
The 14th package of EU sanctions includes a ban on the transshipment of Russian LNG into European ports, from where it is then shipped around the world. Belgium and its port of Zeebrugge lead the way, but France and Spain are also among the largest recipients of Russian LNG.
In addition, the sanctions would apply to Russia’s Arctic and Murmansk LNG projects.
The European Commission also wants to impose sanctions on several vessels from the so-called “shadow fleet” of the Russian Federation that transport Russian oil despite EU restrictions. The European Union will prohibit these vessels from accessing European ports if this proposal is approved.
The proposal also prohibits transportation companies with at least 25% Russian ownership from operating in the EU.
The European Commission has also prepared a sanctions list of more than 50 companies from outside the EU that are subject to trade restrictions. They provide Russia with Western components, first of all dual-use parts, and help to circumvent existing sanctions.
Earlier, it was reported by Reuters that the new sanctions would apply to companies from China, Hong Kong, Turkey, and Kyrgyzstan.
Russian funding of political parties and foundations, as well as non-governmental organizations and research centers, will also be banned.
Symbolically, the European Commission has proposed to ban the sale of Ukrainian artworks on the EU market if there are suspicions that they may have been looted by Russian invading forces in the captured Ukrainian towns.
The draft does not ban Russian aluminum imports, but it does ban helium imports.
As for the export ban, it will apply, in particular, to manganese ore, mining machinery, monitors, and electronics.
In April, Vice President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis confirmed that the EU had begun work on the next, 14th package of sanctions against Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The previous, 13th package of restrictive measures against Russia was approved by the EU Council on February 23, the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
