EU for the first time proposes sanctions against third-country ports over Russian oil operations – Reuters

The European Union has proposed expanding sanctions against Russia by including ports in Georgia and Indonesia over operations involving Russian oil.

Source: Reuters, citing a document outlining the proposal

Details: Reuters noted that this would be the first time the EU has targeted ports in third countries with sanctions.

According to the proposal, the sanctions list would include the ports of Kulevi in Georgia and Karimun in Indonesia. This would ban EU companies and citizens from conducting transactions with these ports.

The measures form part of the EU's 20th sanctions package in response to Russia's war against Ukraine.

The package also includes new bans on imports of metals, including nickel ingots, iron ores and concentrates, raw and processed copper and various types of metal scrap, including aluminium. In addition, it would prohibit imports of salt, ammonia, gravel, silicon and fur.

Quote from Reuters: "The proposal includes the use of an anti-circumvention tool against a third country for the first time. The new restrictions would ban sales of metal cutting machines and communications machines for voice, image and data transmissions like modems and routers to Kyrgyzstan.

The EU also proposed adding two Kyrgyz banks – Keremet and OJSC Capital Bank of Central Asia – to its sanctions list for providing crypto asset services to Russia, as well as banks in Laos and Tajikistan, while removing two Chinese lenders. If approved, the listed banks would be barred from transactions with EU individuals and companies."

Details: To the existing sanctions regime, which already includes asset freezes and travel bans, the European External Action Service (EEAS) has proposed adding 30 individuals and 64 companies. These include Bashneft and eight Russian oil refineries, among them the Tuapse and Syzran plants controlled by Rosneft. The current proposal does not include Rosneft or Lukoil themselves, both of which are under US sanctions.

Background:

• European Pravda previously reported that the publication by the European Commission of the contents of the EU's 20th sanctions package against Russia was somewhat delayed due to discussions surrounding the proposal for a full ban on the provision of maritime services in EU ports to all vessels transporting Russian oil.
• The European Commission was expected to publish its proposal on the contents of the package earlier this week.
• It is known that France had insisted that the EU's 20th sanctions package against Russia be "particularly tough" on the shadow fleet.

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