On June 29, 2024, the European Union Council made a significant announcement regarding Belarus, imposing further restrictive measures due to its support for Russia’s actions against Ukraine. These measures cover various sectors such as trade, services, transport, and efforts to combat sanctions evasion.
The sanctions entail limitations on both the export and import of goods, along with prohibitions on specific services offered to Belarusian companies.
Trade restrictions:
- A ban on exporting dual-use goods with potential military applications;
- Restrictions on importing crucial goods from Belarus like timber, steel, and potassium fertilizers.
Services:
- Prohibition on providing financial, consulting, and IT services to Belarusian companies;
- Limitation on offering legal and accounting services.
Transport:
- Prohibition on Belarusian freight vehicles entering the EU;
Combatting sanctions evasion:
- Enhanced monitoring of goods transit through Belarus to prevent sanctions evasion;
- Implementation of measures against individuals and entities aiding in circumventing previously imposed sanctions.
The EU Council underscores that these actions aim to intensify pressure on Belarus and prevent the misuse of its territory to bypass existing sanctions against Russia. Furthermore, the statement highlights the EU’s willingness to take further steps if Belarus continues to back Russian aggression.
On June 12, the US Treasury unveiled a fresh set of sanctions targeting individuals and companies from various countries including Russia, Belarus, the British Virgin Islands, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Serbia, Kyrgyzstan, China, South Africa, Turkey, and the UAE.
Article from theins.ru