The European Commission today announced its proposal for the 10th package of sanctions against Russia.
First, the Commission proposes further export bans worth more than €11 billion to deprive the Russian economy of critical technology and industrial goods. For maximum impact, the EU is targeting many industrial goods that Russia needs, and that it cannot get through backfilling by third countries: vital goods such as electronics, specialised vehicles, machine parts, spare parts for trucks, and jet engines. The EU is also targeting goods for the construction sector, which can be directed to Russia’s military, such as antennas or cranes.
Secondly, the Commission suggests further restricting the export of dual use goods and advanced tech goods.
“We propose controls on 47 new electronic components that can be used in Russian weapons systems, including drones, missiles, helicopters, and on specific rare earth materials and thermal cameras. With this, we have banned all tech products found on the battlefield. And we will make sure they don’t find other ways to get there,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
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It is also proposed, for the first time ever, to add third country entities to the Russia dual use sanctions. This ban primarily concerns Iran, which supplies Russia with Shahed drones to attack civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. With these new measures, seven Iranian entities will be under a complete ban on selling sensitive items to Russia. “We stand ready to list further Iranian and other third country entities that are providing sensitive technology to Russia,” said von der Leyen.
The EU is also proposing to expand the sanction list of Putin’s propagandists, military and political commanders with almost 100 additional individuals and entities responsible for military activities, political decisions, propaganda, and disinformation, added EU High Representative Josep Borrell.
The 10th package also introduces new measures to prevent circumvention to ensure that the sanctions are strictly applied. “We will track oligarchs trying to hide or to sell their assets to escape sanctions and together with Member States we will set up an overview of all frozen assets of the Russian central bank held in the EU,” said von der Leyen. “This is crucial in view of the possible use of public Russian assets to fund reconstruction in Ukraine.”
In this context, the European Commission will organise a Sanctions Focal Points Forum next week, bringing together the EU’s international partners and Member States to strengthen sanctions enforcement efforts.
“I call on the Member States to adopt this new package of sanctions swiftly. Our aim is to have, together with our G7 partners, further significant sanctions in place by February 24 – exactly one year after Putin launched his imperial war,” concluded von der Leyen.
