What the EU is doing and why
Since March 2014, the EU has progressively imposed restrictive measures (sanctions) against Russia, initially in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol and the deliberate destabilisation of Ukraine. On 23 February 2022, the EU expanded the sanctions in response to the recognition of the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk ‘oblasts’ of Ukraine, and the ordering of Russian armed forces into those areas. After 24 February 2022, in response to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, the EU massively expanded the sanctions. It added a significant number of individuals and organisations to the sanctions list, and adopted unprecedented measures with the aim of weakening Russia's economic base, depriving it of critical technologies and markets, and significantly curtailing its ability to wage war.
In parallel, the EU sanctions regime concerning Belarus has been expanded in response to the country’s involvement in Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. This is in addition to the sanctions aimed at Belarus that were already in place. This sanctions regime consists of a range of financial, economic and trade measures.
The respective Council Regulations identified below are addressed to all individuals, organisations and bodies under EU jurisdiction, for which they create legal obligations.
- Consolidated text of Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 (Russia)
- Consolidated text of Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 (Ukraine territorial integrity)
EU sanctions map
The EU sanctions map provides comprehensive details of all EU sanctions regimes and their corresponding legal acts, including a whistleblower tool, a consolidated list of travel bans and a consolidated list of financial sanctions.
Measures adopted since 2022
- 29 June 2024New set of sanctions against Belarus
- 17 May 2024Sanctions against disinformation and war propaganda
- 3 August 2023Extension of the scope of sanctions on Belarus to fight circumvention
- 21 July 2022Maintenance and alignment package
- 9 March 2022“Compliance package”
- 2 March and 28 February 2022Third package
Economic sanctions on Russia
The economic (or sectoral) sanctions target exchanges with Russia in specific economic sectors. The sanctions regime laying down these measures consists of Council Decision 2014/512/CFSP and Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014.
As of 19 December 2023, the economic sanctions regime includes the following measures
Financial measures
- Blocking of the Russian Central Bank’s reserves and assets, as well as a prohibition on the financing of the Russian government and Central Bank
- Prohibitions on a range of financial interactions, financial rating services and transactions with Russia, as well as prohibitions on the provision of banknotes and sale of securities
- Decoupling of certain Russian banks from the SWIFT messaging system
- Prohibition on public financing or financial assistance for trade with, or investment in Russia
- Prohibition on investment and contribution to projects co-financed by the Russian Direct Investment Fund
- Full exclusion of Russia from public contracts and European money
- Prohibition on providing crypto services and trust services
- Prohibition on accepting deposits
Commerce-related measures
- Arms embargo
- Prohibition on exports of
- Dual-use goods and advanced technology items that can contribute to Russia’s defence and security capabilities (e.g. quantum computers and advanced semiconductors, electronic components and software)
- Goods contributing to the enhancement of Russian industrial capacities, including the energy industry
- Transportation equipment, goods used in aviation, space industry and maritime navigation
- Civilian firearms
- Prohibition on imports of
- Iron and steel, including of some goods processed in third countries using Russian inputs
- Cement, rubber products, wood, aluminium spirits, liquor, high-end seafood and other goods generating significant revenues for Russia
- Gold and diamonds
- Transit bans for certain prohibited goods via the Russian territory
- Prohibition to provide technical assistance or brokering services for prohibited goods, as well as to sell, license, transfer or refer intellectual property rights and trade secrets
- “Anti-circumvention tool” which allows for restrictions on the export of sanctioned goods to third countries with continued and particularly high risk of circumvention
- Obligation for operators to contractually prohibit the re-export of certain sanctioned goods
- Prohibition to provide certain services (business, legal advisory, IT consultancy etc.)
Transport
- Prohibition on certain operations in the aviation sector (airspace closure)
- Notification requirements for private flights between the EU and Russia
- Prohibition on Russian freight operators and on the use of Russian trailers and semi-trailers
- Prohibition to access EU ports and locks for Russian-flagged vessels and vessels which manipulate or turn-off navigation systems when transporting Russian oil
Energy
- Prohibition on new investments in the energy sector
- Prohibition on the export of goods for use in the oil industry
- Prohibition on the import of coal, peat and LPG (liquified petroleum gas) and seaborne crude oil
- Prohibition on providing oil transport services
- Implementation of the G7 oil price cap for Russian oil exports (see further details in the next section)
- Prohibition on Russian nationals and entities to book gas storage capacity in the Union
- Prohibition to import Russian oil via pipeline for some Member States
Media
- Prohibition on the broadcast in the EU of certain Russian state-owned media outlets
The G7 Oil Price Cap Coalition established an oil price cap mechanism on Russian seaborne crude oil and petroleum products. EU operators are only allowed to provide maritime transport and related services for Russian crude oil and petroleum products if these are sold at or below the relevant price caps. This mechanism has been specifically designed to further reduce Russia's revenues, while keeping global energy markets stable through continued supplies. It is applicable to Russian crude oil since 5 December 2022, and to Russian petroleum products since 5 February 2023.
Provisions relating to the Russian oil price cap are laid down in Council Decision 2014/512/CFSP and Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014.
- Article 3n of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 sets out the Russian oil price cap mechanism
- Articles 3eb and 3ec of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 set out EU port access bans for vessels which are transporting Russian oil and have conducted ship–to-ship transfers or turned off their AIS navigation systems during the voyage to a Member State, giving reasons to suspect a breach of the price cap or the Russian oil import ban
- Article 3q of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 sets out an obligation to notify the sale of tankers and seek an authorisation for such sale if to a Russian person or for use in Russia. This measure seeks to more closely monitor sales to help to tackle the ‘shadow fleet' used by Russia to circumvent the Russian oil price cap
- Article 3na of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 sets out information sharing mechanism between Member States and the Commission to further identify vessels and entities engaging in deceptive practices while transporting Russian crude oil and petroleum products
EU guidance
- EU compliance alert on the G7+ Oil Price Cap
- Russian oil price cap FAQs
- Russian oil import ban FAQs
- Notification and authorisation of tanker sales FAQs
- Notification of tanker sales - template
Price Cap Coalition guidance and statements
The measures consist of travel bans and financial measures (asset freezes and a prohibition on making funds or economic resources available) that now target a total of 1 206 individuals and over 108 organisations responsible for undermining Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence. This sanctions regime consists of Council Decision 2014/145/CFSP and Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014.
Since 2014, restrictions on trade and investment have been imposed regarding to Crimea and Sevastopol. This sanctions regime consists of Council Decision 2014/386/CFSP and Council Regulation (EU) No 692/2014.
In 2022, restrictions on trade and investment were also imposed regarding to the non-government controlled areas of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts of Ukraine. This sanctions regime consists of Council Decisions (CFSP) 2022/266 and Council Regulation (EU) 2022/263. The measures therein are very similar to those concerning Crimea and Sevastopol.
Since 2020, a wide range of restrictive measures have been imposed regarding Belarus, including economic sanctions, individual restrictive measures and restrictions on trade. All these measures form part of a single sanctions regime consisting of Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP and Council Regulation (EC) No 765/2006.
In July 2023, the Council prohibited the export, transfer, sale or supply of components used in the manufacturing of UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles, “drones”) to Iran or for use in Iran. It also imposed travel bans and financial measures (asset freezes and a prohibition on making funds or economic resources available) on persons and entities responsible for, or involved in, the Iranian state-sponsored programme for the development and production of UAVs. In December 2023, six persons and five entities were designated. This sanctions regime consists of Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/1532 and Council Regulation (EU) 2023/1529.
Guidance documents and frequently asked questions
Member States are responsible for implementing sanctions. The Commission oversees the implementation by Member States and is working closely with them in order to support them on implementation, provide information to stakeholders, and engage in a dialogue to collect feedback on how sanctions are implemented.
The Commission has published guidance and extensive FAQs (over 500) covering a broad range of topics and continues to update them, in order to assist stakeholders on how to apply the sanctions packages.
Contacts
EU economic operators: ec-russia-sanctions@ec.europa.eu
The primary responsibility for the implementation of EU sanctions rests with the Member States. Therefore, when in need of guidance on specific cases, EU operators should foremost reach out to their national competent authority. However, this contact point allows for particularly complex matters to be raised with the European Commission.
EU public: Europe Direct Contact Point
Citizens should address their queries to the Europe Direct Contact Point.
Foreign authorities and operators: ec-sanctions-international@ec.europa.eu
The aim of the contact point is to encourage foreign (non-EU) authorities and operators to reach out directly to the Commission when facing difficulties in interpreting EU sanctions. It is also meant to help ensure that the flow of agrifood products and fertilisers to their countries continues unimpeded.