Last week, the 27 member states of the European Union approved the eighth package of sanctions against Russia for its attack on Ukraine. The measures are already in place and when they were announced all eyes fell on the content: who was penalizedwhether some new economic sector had entered, whether the import of Russian nuclear material for civilian use continued to be neglected, and other doubts.

Few then looked at the format, which represents a revolution in European sanctioning regimes. For the first time, the possibility of imposing extraterritorial sanctions is added, a practice that the United States has been pursuing for decades and that the European Union always reported as illegal.

The ambassadors gave their approval to the new package of sanctions, understood, community sources explain, that the change come and stay and that it can be used in the future with other sanctions against other countries. For the first time in the history of the European Union it can sanction third country persons or companiesoutside the European Union, which help European people or companies a evade sanctions imposed on Russia.

It is about closing a watercourse through which Moscow he managed to avoid the effect of some sanctions. For example, if a Panamanian company acts as a bridge for a Greek shipping company to load Russian oil from January and sell it to third countries, not only would the Greek shipping company be legally targeted, but the Panamanian company could be sanctioned.

A few examples

Diplomatic sources provide other examples. If a Turkish company imports European goods whose sale in Russia is prohibited by sanctions (such as aircraft parts) to re-export them to Moscow acting as an intermediary for a European company, the European Union could sanction the Turkish company.

Or vice versa, if, for example, an Algerian company imports Russian goods prohibited in the European Union by sanctions to automatically re-export them to Europe, thus acting as a bridge for a European company, can be penalized.

The European Union will not go all the way to the United States, but it comes very close to him. The only thing it will not do for now is to impose sanctions on third country companies or individuals for doing business with Russia if such relations they are of no interest to the European Union even if they are on sanctioned Russian goods.

For example: the European Union will not sanction an Argentine company import Russian goods subject to sanctions into Europe if they are not goods destined for re-export to Europe. yes in case it matters to re-export it to Europe. If it reached that extreme, it would practically force Argentine society to choose whether to entertain relations with Russia or with Europe.

Sanctions against third country companies or individuals could range from freezing your assets in European territory until ban on doing business with companies or individuals of the 27 member states of the European Union, both in the European territory and in their countries. Its directors were able to see how they are forbidden to set foot in Europe and the assets they have on European territory are confiscated.

The president of the European Commission, Úrsula Von der Leyen, announced last week: “We will be able to make lists of individuals who do not respect our sanctions. If they buy goods in the European Union and take them to third countries and then take them to Russia they will violate the sanctions and be included in sanctions “.

The measures do not take into consideration only those possible companies or individuals from third countries who are tempted to help European or Russian companies evade sanctions. Also to try to prevent use by Russian citizens or companies shell company in third countries to violate European sanctions.

Brussels, special

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