Germany blocks 14th EU sanctions package against Russia
The EU has failed to pass a 14th package of sanctions against Russia because Germany has blocked the process, European diplomats said.
According to Reuters, European Union (EU) diplomats said that the EU on June 14 could not pass the 14th package of sanctions against Russia, as Germany maintained its position on the level of responsibility that EU companies would be held responsible for violating the sanctions.
Officials from the 27-nation EU have been debating for more than a month a package of sanctions against Russia that includes a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments and plans to hold EU operators liable for sanctions violations by subsidiaries and partners in third countries.
The issue was scheduled to be discussed and approved on June 14, but at the last minute the sanctions topic was taken off the agenda. Representatives will continue discussions on June 18.
The reason is that Germany expressed reservations about the impact of this provision on its subsidiaries and third-country partners in the German LNG industry.
Earlier, the German news agency DPA on June 13 quoted diplomatic sources as saying that Berlin was blocking the negotiation process on a new package of sanctions against Russia. The German government demanded that the clause regarding the liability of business branches in case of sanctions violations be limited to certain items, or be completely removed from the sanctions package.
In contrast to Germany, Hungary - a country close to Russia in the EU, which previously strongly opposed the sanctions package, is now ready to agree with the EU.
Under the sanctions package, the EU will also ban ships suspected of contributing to Russia’s war effort from docking at its ports. This could include transporting goods that generate significant revenue for Russia./.
