The European Union (E.U.) on March 2 approved new sanctions against Belarus for its role in supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and has effectively banned about 70 percent of all imports into the European bloc from Belarus.
The new measures include a full ban on imports of Belarusian potash into the European bloc, closing loopholes under existing E.U. sanctions on Belarusian potash imposed last June and which came into force on June 25 (GM July 2, 2021; June 25, 2021).
The earlier measures excluded a key grade of Belarusian potash from the import ban, which also included a transit ban via E.U countries. Potassium chloride with a potassium content evaluated as K2O by weight, exceeding 40 percent but not exceeding 60 percent on the dry anhydrous product, was not included on the earlier sanctions list. The earlier measures only affected around 20 percent of Belarusian potash exports to the E.U.
This week’s new approved sanctions will also include contracts signed before the adoption, and companies will have three months to close open contracts.
Belarusian potash marketer and exporter JSC Belarusian Potash Co. (BPC) in any case last month was forced to declare force majeure after it could not find alternatives to railing product to the Lithuanian port of Klaipėda (GM Feb. 18, p. 1).
E.U. officials said the risk of banned products being exported via Russia or other countries would be addressed by customs authorities.
The bloc’s fresh economic sanctions also target Belarusian wood, timber, steel, and iron exports, which were not covered by previous sanctions, and cumulatively represent almost 40 percent of all Belarusian exports to the E.U. Other sectors hit are cement, rubber, and fuels.
Under the strengthened sanctions, the E.U. will also stop exporting advanced dual-use technology to Belarus.
In addition, 22 high-ranking members of the Belarusian military involved in the aggression against Ukraine have been added to the E.U.’s existing sanctions list against Belarusian individuals.