EU formally adopts 15th Russia sanctions package targeting shadow fleet, Chinese firms 

The European Union has formally adopted its 15th sanctions package against Russia, targeting Moscow’s ‘shadow fleet’ of tankers and military-industrial complex while sanctioning Chinese companies for the first time over support to Moscow’s war effort, the EU Council announced on 16 December.

‘Russia continues its brutal attack against Ukraine and Ukrainian people. This package of sanctions is part of our response to weaken Russia’s war machine and those who are enabling this war, also including Chinese companies,’ EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.

The measures include sanctions on 54 individuals and 30 entities, including those responsible for striking a children’s hospital in Kyiv, energy sector managers, and officials involved in child deportation. The EU also imposed ‘fully-fledged sanctions’ on multiple Chinese companies for supplying drone components and microelectronics to Russia.

The package adds 52 vessels to the EU’s port ban list for circumventing oil price caps or transporting military equipment and ‘stolen Ukrainian grain,’ bringing the total to 79 designated vessels. Additionally, 32 new entities from China, India, Iran, Serbia and the United Arab Emirates (‘UAE’) face tighter export restrictions on dual-use and military-related goods.

The Council also introduced measures to protect European companies from Russian court rulings and extended certain divestment deadlines to allow EU operators to exit the Russian market in an orderly fashion.

‘In order to better protect European companies from litigations with Russian counterparts, the Council decided to prohibit the recognition or enforcement in the EU of those rulings issued by Russian courts based on Article 248 of the Arbitration Procedure Code of the Russian Federation,’ the EU announcement said.

https://r.newsletter.consilium.europa.eu/mk/mr/sh/1t6AVsd2XFnIGLoTIlUAkIYWBJBc4k/SoDLIgi0l1w B