The European Commission sent the draft of the 14th package of sanctions against Russia to the members of the European Union. It will include restrictions on LNG imports.
The EU is preparing new sanctions against the Russian Federation
The European Commission presented the project of the 14th package of sanctions against Russia for its aggression in Ukraine.
This is reported by Polskie Radio 24.
The European Commission proposes to limit the import of liquefied gas from Russia, but does not plan to impose a full embargo on it. It is about banning the transshipment of Russian LNG in European ports, from where it will be sent around the world.
The publication notes that Belgium and its Zeebrugge port are leaders in this field, but France and Spain are also among the largest recipients of Russian LNG. The import ban will also affect those EU terminals not part of the European gas network.
The European Union is also proposing to introduce restrictions against Russian LNG projects "Arctic" and "Murmansk." Despite the existing restrictions, several ships from the Russian Federation's shadow fleet, which transport oil, should fall under the sanctions.
The European Commission proposes to ban transport companies that are at least a quarter owned by Russians from operating in the EU. The EC has also prepared a list of more than 50 companies outside the EU that help Russia obtain important components to circumvent sanctions. These are companies from China, Hong Kong, Turkey and Kyrgyzstan.
A ban on Russia's financing of political parties, foundations, and non-governmental organizations and research centers will also be introduced.
The European Union was proposed to ban the sale of Ukrainian works of art on the EU market if there are suspicions that they may have been stolen. The European Commission wants to ban the import of helium from the Russian Federation, as well as the export of manganese ore, mining machines, monitors and electronics.
The 14th package of EU sanctions against Russia
The European Union has introduced 13 packages of sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, but the Kremlin is trying to circumvent the existing restrictions.
At the beginning of April, the vice president of the European Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis, said that the EU started preparing the 14th package of sanctions against Russia.
Latvian Finance Minister Arvils Asheradens recently said that the European Union should ban the supply of manganese ore and aluminium oxide to the Russian Federation.
The leaders of the European Union intend to introduce sanctions against representatives of the "repressive state apparatus of Russia, including those who are involved in politically motivated court decisions against representatives of civil society and the democratic opposition and their further detention, for example, responsible persons in the judicial system (prosecutors, courts, prisons institutions).
In addition, it is emphasized that Chief Josep Borrell is counting on the prompt approval of a separate sanctions regime for the Russian Federation.
According to journalists, the proposal was submitted to the EU foreign policy service on February 28.
Recently, Borrell officially confirmed that "a new separate regime of sanctions against Russia" is being actively discussed in Brussels, and expressed hope that it will be approved quickly. It is expected that the decision will be made before the European Parliament elections, which will be held on June 6-9.
