The EU on October 6th adopted its 8th package of Russia sanctions in response to the recent Russian annexation of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.

The package:

  • Prohibits the provision of maritime transport and technical assistance, brokering services, or financing or financial assistance, related to the maritime transport to third countries of crude oil (as of 5 December 2022) or petroleum products (as of 5 February 2023) that originate in or are exported from Russia.
  • Introduces a ‘price cap derogation’ that allows the provision of the above if the oil or petroleum products are purchased at or below a pre-established price cap (see the previous post concerning the G7 agreement.
    • The prohibition for EU vessels to provide maritime transport for such products to third countries will apply as of the date on which the Council will unanimously decide to introduce the price cap.
  • Imposes import restrictions on finished and semi-finished steel products that either originate in Russia or are exported from Russia, machinery and appliances, wood pulp and paper, cigarettes, plastics, vehicles, textiles, footwear, leather, ceramics, certain chemical products, cosmetics, and elements used in the jewelry industry (for example, stones and precious metals).
  • Restricts the sale, supply transfer, or export of additional goods used in the aviation sector.
  • Imposes additional export restrictions on items which may contribute to Russia’s military, industrial and technological enhancement, or the development of its defense and security sector, including coal and coking coal (used in industrial plants), certain electronic components (found in Russian weapons), additional chemicals and goods that can be used for capital punishment, torture or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
  • Bans the sale, supply, transfer, or export of civilian firearms and their essential components and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment, and spare parts.
  • Imposes sanctions on people and entities said to have played a role in the organization of the recent “referenda” (such as the Central Election Commission (CEC) of the Russian Federation), representatives of the defense sector (such as high-ranking and military officials), entities providing the Russian armed forces with weapons or fighter aircraft and figures spreading disinformation about the war (such as Russian political scientist Aleksander Dugin and singers Yulia Chicherina and Nikolay Rastorguev).
  • Broaden the listing criteria for specific designations to include those facilitating the circumvention of EU sanctions.
  • Bans EU nationals from holding any posts on the governing bodies of certain Russian state-owned or controlled legal persons, entities, or bodies.
  • Bans all transactions with the Russian Maritime Shipping Register (by adding it to the list of state-owned enterprises subject to a transaction ban), a 100% State-owned entity which performs activities related to the classification and inspection, including in the field of security, of Russian and non-Russian ships and crafts.
  • Bans the provision of crypto-asset wallet, account, or custody services to Russian persons and residents, regardless of the total value of those crypto-assets (previously, up to €10,000 was allowed).
  • Bans the provision of architectural and engineering services, IT consultancy services, and legal advisory services to the government of Russia or legal persons established in Russia.
  • Extends the geographical scope of the restrictions introduced on 23 February (notably the import ban on goods from the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts) to cover also the non-controlled areas of the oblasts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

For more details, please refer European Commission https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_5989