BRUSSELS, June 18. /TASS/. The European Union has extended restrictive measures against Crimea and Sevastopol for a year as part of a policy of not recognizing the peninsula’s reunification with Russia, according to the statement of the EU Council.
According to the document, the sanctions were extended until June 23, 2021.
On June 11, ambassadors of EU member states agreed to prolong restrictive measures against Russia on Crimea. The decision is formalized by a "written procedure" without discussion.
The European Union imposed sanctions on Russia in connection with events in Ukraine in 2014. The EU sanctions policy includes three independent directions: visa restrictions against Russian citizens, economic sectoral sanctions against a number of Russian state-owned companies in the oil, defense and financial sectors, as well as restrictive measures against Crimea. The first two sanction blocks are renewed once every six months, while measures against Crimea — once a year.
Sanctions against Crimea include a ban on imports of any Crimean goods to the EU and on any European investments in the territory of Crimea, including acquisition of real estate, financing businesses and providing services, such as tourism. European vessels are prohibited from entering Crimean ports and aircraft are prohibited from landing at Crimean airports, with the exception of emergency situations. Exports of goods and technologies in the field of transport, telecommunications, energy sector, oil production and oil refining and natural resources is prohibited to Crimea, as well as provision of any technical services to companies operating in these sectors.