The European Commission has unveiled a list of "economically critical goods" that will face increased scrutiny when exported from EU member states. These products are considered vital for Russia's industrial and military sectors, including the production of military equipment. The list includes items that meet two specific criteria: exports exceeding € 1 mn in 2022 and a 100% or more increase in supplies to Russia through third-party countries compared to the 2019-2021 average.
The 73 items on the list are grouped into four main categories: chemicals, machinery, electrical equipment, and motor vehicles. Some of the items listed include hydrogen peroxide, hydraulic motors, pumps, metalworking machinery, ball bearings, electric motors, and various vehicle components.
This action comes in response to the apparent surge in the supply of goods to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) that have been under sanctions when exported to Russia. Over 100 instances of suspected "sanctions anomalies" have been identified, involving exports exceeding € 10 mn.
European authorities have expressed concerns about the evasion of sanctions by Russian suppliers through re-routing products via neighboring countries. Since March, efforts to intensify monitoring and inform Central Asian countries about potential secondary sanctions have been underway.
The EU's intention is not to impose sanctions on entire countries. Instead, only individuals and entities actively supporting the Russian military will be subject to these restrictions.
The discussions on measures to counteract sanctions evasion took several weeks before being officially included in the 11th package of sanctions in June. It led to restrictions being imposed on 87 companies from six countries, including two from Uzbekistan. The EU has also committed to working with third-party countries to combat sanctions evasion and provide technical support. Kyrgyzstan has taken the lead in this effort, announcing stricter controls on re-exports to Russia in July.
The President of Kazakhstan expressed commitment to the sanctions regime. At the EU-Central Asian Foreign Ministers summit in Luxembourg, representatives from five countries pledged to combat attempts to evade restrictions collectively.
Follow Daryo's official Instagram and Twitter pages to keep current on world news.
Comments (0)