Russia sanctions: European Commission proposes “maintenance and alignment” package

That’s according to the Commission’s press service

“The ‘maintenance and alignment’ package clarifies a number of provisions to strengthen legal certainty for operators and enforcement by Member States.

It also further aligns the EU's sanctions with those of the allies and partners, in particular in the G7. It is noted that the package reiterates the Commission's determined stance to protect food security around the globe.

Today's package will introduce a new import ban on Russian gold, while reinforcing our dual use and advanced technology export controls. In doing so, it will reinforce the alignment of EU sanctions with those of our G7 partners. It will also strengthen reporting requirements to tighten EU asset freezes.

The package also reiterates that EU sanctions do not target in any way the trade in agricultural products between third countries and Russia. Likewise, the text clarifies the exact scope of some financial and economic sanctions. 

Finally, it is proposed to extend the current EU sanctions for six months, until the next review at the end of January 2023.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said: “Russia's brutal war against Ukraine continues unabated. Therefore, we are proposing today to tighten our hard-hitting EU sanctions against the Kremlin, enforce them more effectively and extend them until January 2023. Moscow must continue to pay a high price for its aggression.”

The package will now be discussed by Member States in the Council in view of its adoption.

As expected, this package will be submitted to the Council of Ministers for Foreign Affairs, which will meet on July 18. The High Representative of the EU will present proposals to the Ministers to expand the list of individuals and entities against which EU sanctions will be applied, including asset freezes and travel bans.

Along with this, as one of an EU official told Ukrinform today, the Council of Ministers next Monday will not adopt the next, seventh package of sanctions, but instead will focus on strengthening and increasing the effectiveness of the already existing package, which has absorbed the six waves of restrictive measures already introduced against Russia .