EU countries reportedly receive proposal for 14th sanctions package against Russia
The European Commission has sent EU countries a draft proposal for a 14th package of sanctions against Russia. The proposal includes, among other things, restrictions on imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia, although there are no plans for a full embargo.
As reported by Polskie Radio, the package is to include a ban on the transshipment of Russian LNG at European ports, from where it is then shipped around the world. Belgium and its port of Zeebrugge are the leaders here, but France and Spain are also among the largest recipients of Russian LNG.
In addition, sanctions will apply to Russia's Arctic and Murmansk LNG projects.
The Commission also wants to impose sanctions on several vessels from Russia’s so-called "shadow fleet" that transport Russian oil in defiance of EU restrictions. They will be banned from entering European ports.
The proposal would also ban transport companies that are at least 25% Russian-owned from operating in the EU.
The Commission has also drawn up a sanctions list of over 50 non-EU companies that are subject to trade restrictions for providing Russia with Western components and helping it to circumvent sanctions.
Companies from China, Hong Kong, Türkiye and Kyrgyzstan will reportedly be hit by the sanctions.
Russia will also be banned from funding political parties and foundations, NGOs and research centres.
Symbolically, the European Commission has proposed to ban the sale of Ukrainian artworks on the EU market if there are suspicions that they may have been looted by the Russians.
There is no ban on aluminium imports in the draft, but there is a ban on helium imports.
An export ban will apply, in particular, to manganese ore, mining machinery, monitors, and electronics.
Valdis Dombrovskis, Vice President of the European Commission, confirmed in April that the EU had begun work on the 14th package of sanctions against Russia due to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The previous (13th) package of restrictive measures against Russia was approved by the EU Council on 23 February, right before the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.