EU bans lawyers from advising Russian companies on sanctions

Russian companies will not be able to turn to European experts for advice on sanctions, follows from the updated clarifications of the European Commission (EC) on the provision of services under sanctions, the materials of which are cited by RBC. An exception, in particular, will be cases of going to court and consulting foreign subsidiaries of Russian companies, but not in the interests of the parent company in Russia.

According to RBC, the EC received a question whether it is forbidden to advise Russian organizations and the government on compliance with sanctions. The response states that the responsibility for complying with EU (EU) sanctions rests exclusively with European companies, not Russian companies. European companies apply to the national competent authorities for permission to conduct transactions or transactions.

Specialists from European countries can consult foreign subsidiaries of Russian companies, but on the condition that these services are not in the interests of the parent company in Russia.

As part of the eighth package of anti-Russian sanctions, the text of which was published on October 6, the EU banned professionals to provide legal advice on the application and interpretation of the law, including advice on commercial transactions. Also, European lawyers are prohibited from participating on behalf of a client in commercial transactions and negotiations on them, as well as in the preparation, execution and verification of legal documents.

According to Bild am Sonntag, 61 individuals and companies from Russia and Belarus filed claims to the European Court of Justice to challenge the EU sanctions. In particular, Russian businessmen applied to the court Roman Abramovich, Petr Aven and Mikhail Fridman. Sanctions against entrepreneurs were introduced after the entry of Russian troops into Ukraine.

Milena Kostereva