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Anti-Russian sanctions

EU Council adopts 15th package of sanctions against Russia — statement

The EU Council also extended the deadlines for sale of assets and divestments by European companies from Russia

© AP Photo/Omar Havana

BRUSSELS, December 16. /TASS/. The EU has adopted the 15th package of sanctions, blacklisting 84 listings, which consists of 54 persons and 30 entities from Russia, China and North Korea, according to a statement by the Council of the European Union at the level of foreign ministers. The sanctions will come into force after they are published in the Official Journal of the EU, which is expected soon.

The list also includes tankers carrying Russian oil, as well as companies that allegedly supply goods of dual use, the Council of the European Union. Fifty-two vessels originating from third countries that allegedly carry Russian oil, have been put on the list of those subject to a port access ban and ban on provision of a broad range of services related to maritime transport.

The EU also blacklisted 32 companies from North Korea, India, Iran, Serbia and the UAE, which the European Union suspects of "the circumvention of trade restrictions" or the procurement of dual-use goods for Russia. The list includes 20 companies from Russia, seven - from China, two - from Serbia, and one from each of India, Iran and the UAE. The European business is now prohibited from selling a wide range of components to those companies.

The EU Council also extended the deadlines for sale of assets and divestments by European companies from Russia.

"The EU extended the deadlines applicable to certain derogations needed for divestments from Russia. <…> The exceptional extension of the divestment derogations is necessary to enable EU operators to exit as swiftly as possible from the Russian market. The extended derogations are granted on a case-by-case-basis by member states and focused on allowing an orderly divestment process, which would not be possible without the extension of these deadlines," the document reads.

"The Council agreed on a significant package of 84 listings, which consists of 54 persons and 30 entities," the statement reads. In particular, sanctions have been imposed against "two senior DPRK officials" and a number of Chinese companies, which the EU suspects of supplying drone components and microelectronic components to Russia.

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