The EU Sets Sanctions on the Transfer of Russian Gas in European Ports
A Russian transport ship. Photo: X/ @IikkaKorhonen
June 20, 2024 Hour: 9:24 am
The 27 EU countries agreed on measures against the ‘shadow fleet’ that helps evade sanctions already imposed on Russia.
On Thursday, the European Union (EU) agreed on a “powerful and substantial” 14th package of sanctions against Russia, which includes restrictions on the transfer of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) at European ports.
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After overcoming Germany’s reservations, the ambassadors of the 27 European countries agreed on measures against the so-called Russian “shadow fleet” that transports oil and helps evade sanctions already imposed on Russian crude.
“This strong package will further impede Russia’s access to key technologies. It will strip Russia of more energy revenues,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who welcomed the conclusion of the agreement. The German politician also explained that the new sanctions package will also target the “shadow banking network” that President Vladimir Putin uses abroad.
The Belgian presidency of the EU Council announced via the same social network that this package “provides new targeted measures and maximizes the impact of existing sanctions by closing loopholes.”
The latest rounds of sanctions against Russia have mainly focused on tightening the net around Moscow’s maneuvers to circumvent existing restrictive measures. However, this is the first time that the 27 European countries are focusing on Russian liquefied natural gas.
The European Commission presented its initial proposal for this 14th package of sanctions at the beginning of May, and since then, the member states have been fine-tuning it.
This round of sanctions includes restrictive measures against over 100 new individuals and entities, bringing the total number of sanctioned names on the blacklist to over 2,200. The list includes figures such as Putin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, as well as prominent pro-Kremlin businessmen, military personnel, and media figures.
Sanctioned entities include the Federal Financial Monitoring Service and companies in the military, defense, aviation, shipbuilding, machinery construction, telecommunications, media, armed forces, and the Wagner Group sectors.
Despite the previous thirteen packages of sanctions, Russia has managed to continue exporting gas by redirecting its supplies to Asia and China. Various European countries had requested action against the transfer of Russian LNG, which mostly arrives in the EU through terminals in Belgium, France, or Spain, countries from which Russian gas is re-exported.
The 14th package includes measures on LNG imports, investments, and transshipments of gas. It also provides additional tools to prevent the evasion of sanctions, especially through subsidiaries in third countries of parent companies in the EU, and measures on transport to avoid evasion by air, land, or sea.
There are also new restrictions on the export of dual-use goods and technologies, even in third countries, and on the export of products that might contribute to improving Russia’s industrial capabilities.
The European Union has also imposed sanctions on Belarus for its involvement in the special military operation in Ukraine and on Iran for supplying drones to Russia.
Source: EFE
teleSUR/ JF
