EU extends sanctions over illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol to June 2019
The Council of the European Union said on June 18 that it was extending restrictive measures in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by Russia until June 23 2019.
The measures apply to EU persons and EU based companies. They are limited to the territory of Crimea and Sevastopol.
The sanctions include prohibitions on imports of products originating in Crimea or Sevastopol into the EU; investment in Crimea or Sevastopol, meaning that no Europeans nor EU-based companies can buy real estate or entities in Crimea, finance Crimean companies or supply related services.
The sanctions also apply to tourism services in Crimea or Sevastopol, in particular, European cruise ships cannot call at ports in the Crimean peninsula, except in case of emergency.
They also apply to exports of certain goods and technologies to Crimean companies or for use in Crimea in the transport, telecommunications and energy sectors and related to the prospection, exploration and production of oil, gas and mineral resources. Technical assistance, brokering, construction or engineering services related to infrastructure in these sectors must not be provided either.
The statement said that as EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini had said on March 16, the EU remains firmly committed to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“Four years on from the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation, the EU reiterated that it does not recognise and continues to condemn this violation of international law,” the statement said.
(Photo: Sébastien Bertrand)
