A ban has been imposed on all Russian vessels entering EU ports, including units that have decommissioned their Russian flag by registering in another state after February 24th, 2022. This is provided for in the fifth round of sanctions approved by the EU against Russia, published last Friday, April 8th. The restriction affects all Russian boats that fall under the scope of the relevant international conventions, as well as all boats over 15 metres that do not carry goods and recreational boats as defined in the 2013/53/EU Recreational Craft Directive.
The ban, which will come into force from Saturday April 16th, is an unprecedented measure in the boating sector and has been decided by Brussels as yet another measure to punish Vladimir Putin’s Russia, which has been engaged in a violent war against Ukraine for almost two months. This is why, in recent weeks, a number of sanctions have been imposed throughout the European Union in order to undermine the Russian economy, including – again in the boating sphere – countless seizures of luxury boats belonging to Russian oligarchs and moored in European ports.
“The European Commission welcomes the agreement to adopt a fifth package of restrictive measures against Putin’s regime in response to its brutal aggression against Ukraine and its people”- reads a note from the EU Commission – “Together with the four previous packages, these sanctions will further contribute to ramping up economic pressure on the Kremlin and cripple its ability to finance its invasion of Ukraine. These measures are broader and sharper, coordinated with international partners, so that they cut even deeper into the Russian economy”.
