The European Union has banned the import of Russian gold as part of the sanctions it has continued to impose since the start of the Russian operation in Ukraine, and has promised that the sanctions will not jeopardize food and energy security in the world.
The Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union said: “The new measures will harmonize the European Union with G7 partners, improve enforcement of legislation and fill loopholes where necessary,” noting that “the European Union will ban the import of gold from Russia, to including jewelry, as well as freeze the assets of Sberbank of Russia and blacklist a number of individuals and legal entities.
The Czech Presidency noted the promise that “sanctions do not jeopardize world food and energy security.”
The agreement gives member states the opportunity to “authorize the release of certain frozen funds or economic resources belonging to Russian banks (…) after it is determined that these funds or economic resources are necessary for the purchase, import or transportation of agricultural and food products. including wheat and fertilizers.
Diplomatic sources indicated that the agreement reached by the European Union’s ambassadors in Brussels must be ratified by governments and published on Thursday in the Official Gazette for it to come into effect.
The European Union did not impose any sanctions on grain, seeds and fertilizers produced in Russia, while accusing Moscow of creating a shortage of these materials and raising prices, in light of the ban on the export of Ukrainian grain and the imposition of a 30 percent tax on it. .
Source: AFP