Sanctions imposed by the European Union against Russia

In 2014, the Russian Federation began the armed aggression against Ukraine which led to the temporary occupation of integral parts of the territory of Ukraine by the Russian Federation – the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, as well as certain areas in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The Russian Federation grossly neglected its international obligations under bilateral treaties with Ukraine and violated one of the basic principles of international law on the inviolability of borders thus having revised the architecture of the European security system.

These gross violations became the basis for the imposition of sanctions against Russia, as well as the formation of an international policy of non-recognition of the attempt to annex Crimea.

Since March 2014, the European Union has progressively imposed restrictive measures against Russia in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and the deliberate destabilisation of Ukraine, in particular:

• individual restrictive measures (freezing assets and travel restrictions for persons and entities whose actions undermined Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence);
• restrictions of economic relations between EU persons and EU based companies with Crimea and Sevastopol (an import ban on goods from Crimea and Sevastopol, restrictions on trade and investment related to certain economic sectors and infrastructure projects, a prohibition to supply tourism services in Crimea or Sevastopol, an export ban for certain goods and technologies);
• economic sanctions targeting exchanges with Russia in specific economic sectors (limited access to EU primary and secondary capital markets for certain Russia’s banks and companies, export and import ban on trade in arms, export ban for dual-use goods for military use or military end users in Russia, curtailing Russia’s access to certain sensitive technologies and services that can be used for oil production and exploration).

All kinds of restrictions imposed by the EU against Russia are listed at the following address, including in Danish:

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/sanctions/ukraine-crisis

Ukraine has consistently urged to prevent the weakening of personal special economic and other restrictive measures imposed by the EU, Ukraine, foreign states and international organizations against the Russian Federation, its persons and entities, before the objective of the sanctions is achieved.

Ukraine also advocates the need to strengthen sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation, including by the introduction of new sanctions, in order to de-occupy the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.

What is considered as the support for the illegal occupation regime

If you are a Danish citizen, a Danish businessman or currently reside in Denmark, you should remember the following:

• Traveling to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine via the territory of Russia is illegal. Ukraine applies a special regime of entry into/exit from the temporarily occupied territories in order to ensure the safety of citizens, to protect critical infrastructure facilities, and to prevent the spread of terrorist and other threats from the temporarily occupied territories.
• Investing in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine may lead to sanctions and severe financial penalties.
• Inviting representatives of the Russian occupation authorities, as “representatives” of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, is a de facto demonstration of support for the illegal occupation regime.
• During your visit to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine for recreation purposes, the Government of Ukraine and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark in Ukraine will not be able to ensure your safety or provide you with support in case of any problems.

You must remember that in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, the Russian Federation and its occupation administration systematically violate human rights and fundamental freedoms, in particular the right to freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, freedom of opinion and religion. It commits crimes against humanity, war crimes and other violations of norms of international humanitarian and international criminal law.

In addition, politically motivated criminal prosecutions are undertaken in these territories, as well as systematic persecution of persons condemning the occupation of the territory of Ukraine by the Russian Federation. The local population is conscripted for military service of the occupying state. It is massively coerced to obtain citizenship of the Russian Federation. Illegal imprisonment, searches, torture is used, the right to a fair trial is violated.

The Russian Federation is actively militarizing the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, creating a military strategic stronghold for the spread of the zone of armed conflict from the Crimean Peninsula to the Mediterranean region, the Middle East and Africa.

At the same time, Russia continues to invest significant resources to find ways to avoid sanctions. It uses economy, culture and people-to-people contacts in attempt to legitimize its illegal occupation of Ukrainian territories.

Be advised: Learn - Check - Act

To prevent you or your business from becoming involved in the legitimization of the illegal occupation of the territories of Ukraine by Russia, and accordingly falling under EU sanctions, we recommend.

Learn about restrictions imposed on Russia by the European Union and Ukraine.

You are strongly recommended to:

• avoid visiting Crimea if you are an official, a non-governmental delegation, a government representative of an EU member state, or a parliamentarian;
• persistently ask officials not to receive visits from representatives of the Russian occupation authorities from the temporarily occupied Crimea or parts of the Donetsk or Luhansk regions;
• refrain from any trade and economic contacts, academic, cultural or informational exchanges with subjects from the temporarily occupied Crimea, and recommend others do likewise;
• make sure that Crimea and the temporarily occupied parts of Eastern Ukraine are correctly marked on maps as the territory of Ukraine.

Check the information with your counterparts to avoid unexpected problems with your business when it comes to dealing with Russia.

You are strongly recommended to:

• make sure you are not visiting the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, for example if you are buying a tour to “the Russian seaside”;
• make sure your business partners from Eastern Europe are not interlinked with individuals or companies mentioned in the sanctions lists;
• make sure your counterparts do not represent the Russian occupation authorities if you plan any academic or cultural exchanges, or if you are launching any civil society initiative.

Act proactively to prevent further aggressive actions by Russia against Ukraine and other EU countries.

You are strongly recommended to:

• ask politicians to cancel their visits to the temporarily occupied Crimea if you become aware of such planned trips; ask your government not to support and condemn such a visit;
• warn companies about the serious consequences arising from violating the EU sanctions regime, for example if they are engaged in selling goods from Crimea or importing products from the occupied territories;
• engage the support of law enforcement agencies in the event that EU sanctions violations are taking place in your area of activity or at the local level;
• inform relevant organizations in case that incorrect mapping of Crimea as a territory of Russia is identified.

Watch the presentation video to get a better understanding what was meant:

Also carefully read the full list of restrictive measures in force in response to Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine at:

https://sanctionsmap.eu/#/main