Bloomberg: EU will ask third countries to strengthen monitoring of exports to Russia

The European Union plans to ask third countries where there is an increase in imports of European technologies and dual-use goods that may be of interest to Russia for use in Ukraine to strengthen monitoring of trade, informs Bloomberg citing sources.

The agency notes that after the imposition of sanctions against Russia and export controls, imports of semiconductors, integrated circuits and other goods to the Russian Federation from the EU and G7 countries decreased. At the same time, deliveries to Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan and other countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia increased sharply, and their exports to Russia also increased.

Bloomberg sources say that with the help of increased trade monitoring, the EU plans to determine whether sanctioned goods reach Russia. The EU request will include extended trade tracing information for hundreds of goods and technologies that could be used for military purposes.

March 9 Turkey stopped transit of sanctioned cargoes going through its territory to Russia. This was reported to Vedomosti in the Community of Top Managers of Logistics Companies (STMLK) and in companies in the transport sector. The Kommersant-FM radio station was the first to report on this problem on March 9. On March 10, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported that the Russian embassy and the diplomatic mission in Turkey are dealing with the problem.

In the European Commission (EC) Vedomosti reportedthat EU customs cannot block the re-export of sanctioned goods to Russia through Turkey, but controls the movement of European goods to step up the fight against sanctions circumvention. The Union closely monitors all its international partners, including Turkey, the EC added.

In early February 2023, Bloomberg, citing sources, reported that the United States was putting pressure on Turkey, in particular, calling for compliance with sanctions and stopping the export of goods to Russia. On February 2 and 3, according to the agency, US Deputy Treasury Secretary Brian Nelson held meetings with representatives of the Turkish authorities, at which he discussed the growing volume of exports of goods to Russia. Nelson also visited the UAE and Oman for the same purpose to convince the authorities of these countries to limit parallel imports of goods to Russia.