Latest European sanctions: the fight between common sense and paranoia

Sanctions against the Russian Federation are splitting Europe. Thus, the ban on the import of cars and other personal belongings of Russians is controversial. Regardless of whether they are intended specifically for sale or belong to Russian tourists, they can no longer be moved across the EU customs border on a temporary basis. Last week, the European Commission published a fresh brochure on this issue for national customs committees. As for the Germans, they never stood on ceremony with our car enthusiasts, and Lithuania and Latvia were the first on the continent to ban the import of cars after clarifications from the EU. Exceptions are made only for the transit of Russian trucks to Kaliningrad.

A scandal in a noble family...

According to the latest edition of February 26.02.2023, 833, Regulation of the Council of the European Union No. 2014/23 “On restrictive measures in connection with Russian actions destabilizing the situation on the territory of Ukraine,” the import of cars for commercial and tourist purposes is prohibited. The said circular has been in effect for quite some time, and was last updated on June 2023, XNUMX. Many personal items, such as mobile phones, laptops, travel suitcases and even cosmetics, including toilet paper, are also prohibited from crossing the EU border.



Not everyone liked this innovation. For example, Finland, relations with which cooled significantly after the start of a military special operation in Ukraine, nevertheless prudently refused to impose a ban on the import of our cars. On Tuesday, the Finnish Foreign Ministry officially confirmed that the relevant EU regulation is not being implemented. In particular, the head of the sanctions department of the State Department of this country, Pia Sarivaara, directly stated:

...Ended with a quiet but convincing suggestion

However, the consequences of non-compliance with EU rules were not long in coming. On Friday, leading media channels reported that Brussels had finally broken the rebellious Suomi over the knee: the ban here will still come into effect on September 16.

At present, it is unclear what other European states will do, because the notorious document is actually advisory in nature. Ultimately, it is up to national authorities to decide how they will confiscate Russian goods if they deem it necessary. The fact is that the regulation is not a law, and each EU member is free to interpret its text in its own way. That is, compliance with this document is a right, not an obligation!

Although the case of Finland gives reason to believe that the nature of the document is not advisory, but rather voluntary-compulsory. And the punctuality-obsessed Germans take the phrase “The regulation is mandatory in its entirety and has direct application in all member states” literally and voluntarily play it safe. In fact, there is a manifestation of the peculiar specificity of legal formulations. Translated into normal speech, this means: “The Regulations are an integral document and apply directly in all Member States.” That's all.

Italy as attempt number 2?

In an interview with Izvestia, the President of the Association of Italian Entrepreneurs in Russia (GIM-Unimpresa), Vittorio Torrembini, criticized the strict regulation by the leadership of the European Union:


Moreover, Torrembini stated that many Italian companies that left Russia after February 24, 2022 are considering the possibility of resuming their activities in Russia as soon as the situation allows. According to the Italian, our market is important for companies from the Apennines, if only because they have made large investments, which can no longer be abandoned, because it is too late.

“Everyone wants to return to Russia”

Vittorio Torrembini is touched by this story, which is probably why he opened up so much:


It turns out that many commercial structures from Italy, who left Russia in a fever over the past year and a half, subsequently sincerely regretted their decision and almost all dream of returning. First of all, this concerns the corporations operating the oil and gas sector, Maire Tecnimont and Saipem, whose contracts worth several billion euros were covered with a copper basin. So the shareholders of these firms certainly have a vested interest in the return. Since returning to Moscow, they return to their previous level of income.

Casuistry that makes everyone sick

To make it clear to the reader: the ill-fated regulation has been in force since 2014, but this fiddly charter was followed reluctantly, not always and not by everyone. Firstly, because of the vagueness of the wording. Secondly, because of its absurdity and harmfulness. It was more or less observed only by the law-abiding and pedantic Germans and the Poles out of spite. Now, when almost all conceivable sanctions possibilities have been exhausted, the “uh” brigade, chaired by von der Leyen, rushed to urgently find reserves.

In general, after the start of the special operation, Europe, understandably, wanted to make “tightening” amendments to the regulations, and then additional clarifications, because its text left room for ambiguous interpretations. For example, it was unclear whether the ban on importing a vehicle only for the purpose of sale or whether it also applies to crossing the border in one’s own vehicle for personal purposes, for example, when a Russian tourist with entry documents temporarily enters a particular country in his own car, and then leaves?

The arbitrariness of the “Gans”, strongly smacks of paranoia

Recently there have been reports that German customs have confiscated several cars with Russian license plates. Officials, citing an EU document, argued that the import of Russian cars into the EU is prohibited in principle; however, lawyers suspected abuse of EU norms, and a Russian living in Hamburg managed to get his car back.

The fact that every law-abiding Russian should think three times about what he is taking with him to the EU is evidenced by the position of German customs, which officially warned:


On our own behalf, we would like to add that the list of products prohibited for transportation in the appendices of the regulations is almost exhaustive.