EU Sanctions

Turkish Export to Russia Starting

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The first Turkish strawberries and grapes have been exported to Russia, according to Turkish media based on data from the Turkish customs. Russia supposedly imported 322 tonnes of strawberries and three tonnes of grapes. This means the sanctions have been officially lifted. Tomatoes are still being boycotted, although it’s assumed the boycott will be lifted between November and April. Last week, the Russian State Secretary of Economic Development announced they were starting the negotiations regarding this dossier. Russia wants to protect the investments that have been made in the cultivation of tomatoes, which is why the boycott is still in effect officially.

Sudan is also picking up exports to Russia. The African country wants to export fruit and vegetables to Russia for the first time ever, according to the ambassador in Moscow. In recent years, trade between the two countries improved considerably. Last year, trade was 150 per cent higher than in 2015.

The EU extended the sanctions against the Crimea by one year. The sanctions against the annexed peninsula will now be in effect until 23 June 2018. The EU will soon also have to decide about extending the sanctions against Russia. It is expected these sanctions will once again be extended by six months.

www.freshplaza.com

 

EU Extends Sanctions against Russia

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On 19 December 2016, the Council prolonged the economic sanctions targeting specific sectors of the Russian economy until 31 July 2017.

These measures were introduced on 31 July 2014 initially for one year in response to Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine. They were reinforced in September 2014. They target the financial, energy and defence sectors, and the area of dual-use goods.

On 19 March 2015, the European Council agreed to link the duration of the sanctions to the complete implementation of the Minsk agreements, which was foreseen to take place by 31 December 2015.

Since the Minsk agreements were not fully implemented by 31 December 2015, the Council extended the sanctions until 31 July 2016, and on 1 July 2016, until 31 January 2017. Having assessed the implementation of the Minsk agreements at the European Council meeting of 15 December, the EU heads of state and government paved the way to renew the sanctions for a further six months, until 31 July 2017. The Council formalised this decision on 19 December 2016 by written procedure and as it is the rule for all decisions on prolongation of restrictive measures, unanimously.

The European Union extended economic sanctions against Russia by six months on Monday after completing the legislative process for a decision endorsed last week by national leaders at an EU summit.

Sanctions introduced in July 2014 in response to Russian action in Ukraine will now run until July 31, 2017, the European Council confirmed in a statement.

www.consilium.europa.eu

Russia’s 2017-2019 budget drafted based on assumptions that the sanctions will remain till 2019

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Russia’s 2017-2019 budget is being drafted based on a cautious outlook and the assumption that US and EU sanctions will remain intact, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said at the government commission on budget projections Friday.

“As has been repeatedly discussed, we cautiously assess the economic situation in the world markets from a conservative viewpoint. In particular, over the fairly low trajectory of oil prices in the range of $40 per barrel of the Urals brand over the next three years, and the possible retention of sanctions until the end of the forecast period,” Medvedev said.

The Russian Federal Treasury, meanwhile, said earlier in the day that January-September 2016 budget deficit totaled 1.58 trillion rubles ($25.3 billion), double the deficit recorded in the same period last year.

The draft has to be completed on October 28.

www.sputniknews.com

EU renews Ukraine-related sanctions against Russia

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The European Union is extending for six months the sanctions targeting people and entities involved in what the EU considers Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. The extension, officially announced Thursday, consists of an asset freeze and a ban on EU travel, and affects 146 individuals and 37 entities.

The measures, originally introduced in 2014, were last extended in March, the EU said in a statement. The latest action endorsed by representatives from the 28 EU member states means the punitive measures can remain in force through March 15, 2017.

On September 1, the United States has added 37 individuals and entities to its sanctions blacklist aimed at Russia over its continuing support for separatists in eastern Ukraine and the 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. The United States blacklisted a number of Russian companies operating in Crimea, including construction firms Mostotrest and SGM-Most which have been helping to build a bridge from Russia to the peninsula. Six separatist representatives in eastern Ukraine and 11 officials in Crimea were also sanctioned.

www.foxnews.com, www.rferl.org

Belgium parliament to consider resolution on lifting EU sanctions against Russia

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Belgium’s parliament has registered for further consideration a resolution on lifting of the European Union’s sanctions against Russia, author of the draft resolution MP Aldo Carcaci told TASS on Sunday.

The member of the parliament said the draft resolution discussion may be organized after the parliamentary holidays.

The EU economic sanctions against Russia remain in force to January 31, 2017. This autumn, the EU Council will have a wide discussion on further relations between the European Union and Russia, including milder sanctions or lifting them.

www.tass.ru

Brexit unlikely to affect EU sanctions

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The political decision to extend the anti-Russian economic sanctions to 31 January 2017 has been already made, and the situation with the British referendum on leaving the EU cannot influence the decision. The EU Committee made the decision to extend economic sanctions against Russia for six months on June 21. This decision will come into force after the formal approval of the EU Council.

As it was reported earlier, the UK leaves the EU after a referendum held in Britain on Thursday. 51.9% voted for secession from the European Union.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that the UK vote to leave the EU is unlikely to impact Europe’s decision to prolong sanctions on Russia. The sanctions are to be renewed before 31 July pending parliamentary approval in France, Sweden and the UK. “This [sanctions] process is discussed irrespective of Britain”, he told. He said Russia “is interested in the EU being economically strong, prosperous, stable and predictable. I would like to repeat what has already been said by President Putin: Brexit is a domestic issue of the United Kingdom and the issue of its relations with the E.U. The European Union is Russia’s very important trade and investment partner”.

At the same time, The Wall Street Journal notes that the British decision to leave the EU can destroy the unity of European countries on the issue of sanctions against Russia, as the UK supported Germany.

www.euobserver.com, www.uatoday.tv, www.ren.tv, www.riafan.ru

Russia and EU: how deal with sanctions

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The Russian president Putin and EU president Juncker met each other yesterday at the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg. The sanctions weren’t mentioned during the meeting, the Kremlin announced once it was over. “There is a general understanding that despite disagreements we shouldn’t operate within a vacuum,” according to the Kremlin. Later this month the EU will decide on the extension of the sanctions against Russia.

Former French president Nicholas Sarkozy is joining those in favour of lifting the sanctions against Russia, making his speech at the Forum. “We don’t need a new Cold War. I can’t allow a political wall to be built between Russia and Europe after the fall of the Iron Curtain,” according to Sarkozy. This is why both parties have to take steps towards gradually lifting the sanctions.

At the same time, some calculations are made on how the Russian counter-sanction influence some European countries: the trade between Russian and Belgium was 28% lower in January this year than it was a year previously. According to Russian calculations, the turnover of the Belgian agricultural sector has decreased by 5% due to the boycott. The Belgian sector has partially been able to adapt to the new situation, the Russian ambassador in Belgium said to Russian media. Russia mainly imported pears, tomatoes, pork and dairy from Belgium. Apple prices are on average 25% lower, but the main loss is being taken by the pear grower. In 2013 pears were still 30% of the export to Russia.

www.freshplaza.com

Putin: Russia has no grudge against EU, ready to improve ties

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President Vladimir Putin said on Friday Russia did not hold a grudge against the European Union and was ready to improve relations, but he offered little prospect that mutual sanctions would be eased soon.

Speaking on the day the EU said it would extend sanctions on Russia imposed over its annexation of Crimea in 2014, Putin played down their impact and painted a bullish picture of an economy recovering despite low oil prices.

But in a disappointment for investors, he provided little hope that either Russia or the EU were likely to soften their sanctions, and was vague about the steps Russia would take to improve its investment climate.

“We do not hold a grudge and are ready to meet our European partners halfway,” Putin told the annual St Petersburg International Economic Forum. “But it certainly cannot be a one-way game.”

Despite lingering tensions over Ukraine, there are tentative signs of a thaw in relations and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker met Putin at the St Petersburg forum.

They did not discuss the sanctions, however, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the Tass news agency.

Replying to investors’ questions, Putin said Russia did not intend to soften its counter-sanctions, banning most European food imports, before the EU’s sanctions were lifted.

He blamed the United States for persuading European countries to continue sanctions against their own interests.

“They (Russian counter-sanctions) affect Europe, but they don’t affect the U.S. – they have nil effect,” Putin said. “But the U.S. says to its partners: ‘you need to put up with it’. Well, if they want to, let them put up with it.”

Putin said Russia was liberalising its investment climate, but offered few specifics, except to pledge that he would sack governors who failed to support business.

Russia had weathered economic difficulties successfully, he said, citing falling inflation and capital flight and the preservation of foreign exchange reserves.

“Russia has been able to solve the most acute problems and already in the near future we count on the renewal of (economic) growth,” he said.

www.reuters.com

French parliament votes against sanctions

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French parliament debated about the extension of European sanctions against Russia. Voting indicated that a majority is opposed to the sanctions. The centre right party that requested the debate carried a motion to stop the sanctions. The French parliament only had indirect influence on the decision. European heads of government have to decide on the sanctions next month.

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