Representative of the European Commission in an interview RIA News He explained that the ban on car imports from Russia to the European Union has existed for a long time and has nothing to do with the EC’s recently issued statement. He also stated that member states of the union should independently monitor compliance with restrictive measures.
Last Friday, the European Commission announced that the sanctions imposed by the EU Council on Russia in 2022 will also be applied to the personal vehicles of Russian citizens with Russian license plates. As a result, citizens of the Russian Federation are prohibited from driving their cars into the territory of the EU, even for tourism purposes for a short period of time.
However, the representative of the European Commission emphasized that EU countries should not block the import of ordinary personal belongings of Russians into European territory. Such things include, for example, clothing and hygiene products that are not luxury items and do not cost too much. Previously, the EC’s statement had led to rumors that Russian tourists’ personal belongings, including shampoo and toilet paper, were banned from being imported into the EU.
European Commission spokesman Daniel Sheridan Ferry noted that although the statement was published last week, the import ban into the EU has been in effect for a long time. He also emphasized that the implementation of EU sanctions is the responsibility of member states and that they must ensure compliance with EU rules.
Previously, Finland, Estonia and other countries examined the European Commission’s statement and evaluated its impact on Russian imports of goods. Estonia expressed its support for the simultaneous implementation of restrictions with Finland and the Baltic countries.
EU sanctions were approved by a unanimous decision of the EU Council, which includes representatives of all 27 member states. However, the implementation and interpretation of sanctions is the responsibility of individual governments. The European Commission provides recommendations on compliance with restrictive measures.
European Commission representative Daniel Sheridan Ferry said that before the publication of the European Commission’s new recommendations, the decision on the status of vehicles of Russian citizens entering EU countries should be made by the competent authorities of the union. He advised to contact the relevant authorities of EU member countries in problematic cases. The representative of the European Commission also reminded that the ban on automobile imports from Russia to the EU has been in effect for a long time and that the compliance of this ban should be monitored by member states.
Formerly US Treasury extended Sanctions against Russia.