A year ago, Russia began attacking Ukraine.
Far-reaching sanctions were decided almost immediately.
Some companies try to circumvent them.
Right now this will finally end up here.
Berlin – Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) wants to make it much more difficult to circumvent economic sanctions against Russia.
Foreign trade data indicate that EU-sanctioned goods are exported “to a significant extent” from the EU and thus also from Germany to certain third countries and from there to Russia, according to a paper by the Ministry of Economic Affairs that became known on Thursday.
RTL
and
n-tv
had previously
reported about it.
Habeck makes it clear at the press conference: "This is not a trivial offense"
At a press conference on the plans, Minister Habeck spoke seriously about the current situation: "What I have to tell you is not good".
Sanctions from the EU and Germany are deliberately avoided.
It is mainly high-tech goods and those that could be used militarily.
"The interests of the people who are fighting for their freedom are being betrayed here," said the Economics Minister.
Circumventing the sanctions is taken very seriously.
"It's not a trivial offense."
The affected companies and associations from Germany were therefore approached, so that the topic should have arrived, according to Habeck.
Habeck's plan: companies have to make statements
The Ministry of Economics speaks of an "urgent problem" of circumventing sanctions.
Fighting them more intensively should be the focus of an eleventh EU sanctions package.
The background is the assumption that a number of goods that can no longer be delivered to Russia due to EU sanctions are still arriving in the country via detours.
Components for the armaments, energy and space industries are seen as particularly problematic.
States such as Turkey, China or India, which are not participating in the sanctions against Russia, are suspected.
The Ministry of Economics now wants to make companies more responsible.
So the plan looks like this:
Sanctions against Russia because of the Ukraine war: The Habeck Plan against companies
Exports to certain third countries only if transparent "end-use certificates" are submitted
Companies use customs declarations to confirm that products remain in the country
Deliberately misrepresenting exports should become a criminal offence
Companies in third countries that have proven to have avoided sanctions will be excluded from future purchases
Companies from third countries can lose access to the EU internal market in the event of violations
Anyone who has “information relevant to sanctions” must report it to the authorities
Development of an EU-wide analysis platform for monitoring trade flows
The mechanical engineering association VDMA spoke of some serious technical deficiencies in the design of the sanctions, which unnecessarily complicated Russia's economic isolation.
The possible circumvention of sanctions through deliveries via third countries must be consistently prevented.
Sanctions against Russia: Ten EU packages decided so far
Since Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine began almost a year ago, the EU has launched nine sanctions packages against Russia.
The tenth EU package of sanctions against Russia is scheduled to come into force this Friday.
In order to prevent companies from non-EU countries from supplying civilian goods that can be used militarily, such as drones, to Russia for the Ukraine war, the application of the existing sanctions regime is to be expanded.
In the future, companies will have to fear losing access to the EU internal market if they do not comply with the restrictions.
According to the Commission, as a first step, several Iranian companies involved in supplying Russia with Shahed-type drones will be sanctioned.
+
Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) wants to make it harder to circumvent sanctions against Russia.
© Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
In an interview with
RTL
and
NTV
in the course of the sanctions against Russia, Habeck also stated that German companies would no longer buy Russian gas.
"Gas from Russia may still come to Germany via the LNG terminals of other countries," said the minister.
But that's not a large amount anymore.
“The bottom line, the bottom line is that oil prices get pushed down.
Russian oil can no longer be paid in full.
Based on all the data we know, that will probably hit Russia hardest.”
Crude oil and refinery products such as diesel, petrol or lubricants from Russia can no longer be imported into Germany and most other EU countries.
This is intended to help limit Russian trade gains, thereby also limiting Russia's warfare capabilities.
According to media reports, however, India, for example, is suspected of buying large quantities of Russian crude oil cheaply and selling it on to Europe in the form of fuel at high prices.
(wal/dpa)
List of rubrics: © Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
