EU announces new restrictions on trade with Belarus in June 2024.
Context
In June 2024 the European Union Council adopted new restrictions on trade between EU member states and Belarus, that came into effect from July 1, 2024. According to the press release announcing these measures, they included an “export ban on dual-use/advanced goods and technologies” and export restrictions on “maritime navigation goods and technologies, and luxury goods.” The same round of measures included import bans on goods from Belarus including gold, diamonds, helium, coal, and oil. A full list of these measures is available here. The context of these measures is Belarus’ ongoing support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and also EU opposition to Belarus’ alleged undemocratic 2020 Presidential Elections. A statement from the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council from February 2024 noted that the EU “stands ready to take further restrictive and targeted measures as long as the Belarusian authorities continue their actions.” A timeline and summary of recent measures imposed by the EU on Belarus is available here. Notably, these measures followed shortly after the 14th round of EU sanctions on Russia were announced in mid-June, and were reportedly motivated by a desire to “try to close off a route to avoiding restrictions on Russia.”
Impact
These sanctions were in large part motivated by a desire on the part of the EU to avoid circumvention of its sanctions on Russia. At time of writing (October 2024) it is likely too early to tell what impact they have had. However, there is some evidence that previous rounds of sanctions on Belarus were circumvented by alleged transfers through other Central Asian states. Other reporting has alleged that a Cypriot firm has been involved in helping to circumvent measures impacting Belarus’ potash trade.
Responses
i) Belarusian government and industry responses.
A Belarusian foreign ministry spokesperson, Anatoly Hlaz, told press that “a set of asymmetric measures” had been prepared for Belarus to retaliate against the EU. Subsequently, in August 2024 the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, suggested that Belarus would retaliate by failing to stop undocumented migrants entering the EU through its Belarusian border. “You place a noose around my neck in the form of sanctions” President Lukashenko said, “and then demand that I protect the EU from the flow of these migrants? That won’t happen.”
(ii) EU government and industry responses
The Belgian Government, then holder of the EU presidency, stated that these measures “will strengthen our measures in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including combating circumvention of sanctions”. In a separate statement, the EU presidency said that “[w]ith this package, we just closed the biggest loophole of our sanctions regime.”
Status
At time of writing (October 2024) these sanctions remain in place. Additionally, in August 2024 the EU imposed a new round of measures on Belarus, targeting 28 members of Belarus’ ruling elite for their alleged involvement in human rights abuses and internal repression.
Reference list
AA. 2024. “EU imposes new sanctions on Belarus to tighten pressure on Russia over Ukraine conflict.” AA. June 26. Available at: https://www.aa.com.tr/en/russia-ukraine-war/eu-imposes-new-sanctions-on-belarus-to-tighten-pressure-on-russia-over-ukraine-conflict/3261835
Belarusian Investigative Center. “Belarusian Timber Finds Its Way to EU Despite Sanctions.” Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. April 8. Available at:
https://www.occrp.org/en/news/belarusian-timber-finds-its-way-to-eu-despite-sanctions
Council of the European Union. 2024a. “Belarus’ involvement in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine: new EU restrictive measures target trade, services, transport and anti-circumvention.” Council of the EU. June 29. Available at:
Council of the European Union. 2024b. “Belarus: EU lists further 28 individuals for participation in internal repression.” Council of the EU. August 5. Available at:
DPA. 2024. “Belarusian leader Lukashenko warns he won’t stop migrants reaching EU.” Yahoo!News. August 19. Available at: https://www.yahoo.com/news/belarusian-leader-lukashenko-warns-wont-135657917.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAFKPiaCCh6qz8tRPC6BcwXBLm1SPriHGSJjpXPObj0JSzepJsBAwxlu-KjZwj4Oa2cRDEACD-Q80ynqYVn9Z0g4LeBp15IVmLADUg_XiXH96jBca8ZTuFT-z1p1nkoXiudEuLQxE8QHaCKZ92kEU1BtmOE6TIaKleF_-Zqbrv-90
Payne, J. 2024. “EU countries agree sanctions on Belarus to plug ‘biggest loophole’ in Russian measures.” Reuters. June 26. Available at: https://www.reuters.com/ world/europe/eu-countries-agree-sanctions-belarus-plug-biggest-loophole-russian-measures-2024-06-26/
Reuters. 2024. “Belarus: EU prolongs restrictive measures for another year.” EU NeighboursEast. February 27. Available at: https://euneighbourseast.eu/news/latest-news/belarus-eu-prolongs-restrictive-measures-for-another-year/
Shamim, S. 2024. “Why is Belarus amassing troops along its border with Ukraine?” AlJazeera. August 26. Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/26/why-is-belarus-amassing-troops-along-its-border-with-ukraine
Smith, B. and Thomson, E. 2024. “EU Adopts New Belarus Sanctions Package.” Baker McKenzie. July 8. Available at: https://sanctionsnews.bakermckenzie.com/eu-adopts-new-belarus-sanctions-package/
Yeryoma, M. 2024. “Belarus Weekly: EU imposes new sanctions on Belarus, targeting sanction circumvention.” The Kyiv Independent. July 5. Available at: https://kyivindependent.com/belarus-weekly-eu-imposes-new-sanctions-on-belarus-targeting-sanction-circumvention/