EU approves sectoral sanctions against Belarus

This decision was made “in response to the escalation of serious human rights violations in Belarus and brutal repressions against civil society, democratic opposition and journalists, as well as the forced landing of a Ryanair aircraft in Minsk on 23 May 2021, and subsequent detention of journalist Raman Pratasevich and Sofia Sapega,” reads the official message of the EU Council.

The new sanctions include the prohibition of:

• sale, supply, transfer or export of equipment, technologies or software designed to monitor or intercept data from the Internet and telephone communications by the Belarusian authorities;

• sale, supply or transfer to the Belarusian authorities of dual-use goods and technologies for military use;

• the European Investment Bank’s financing of projects in the public sector. The EU members will be required to limit the involvement in Belarus of multilateral development banks of which they are members.

Additional restrictions are introduced on the trade of petroleum products, potash fertilizers, and tobacco products. Access of the government of Belarus and state financial organizations to the EU capital markets is restricted. Providing insurance and re-insurance to the Belarusian government and Belarusian public bodies and agencies is prohibited.