In addition, as of 1 December, the purchase, import, and transfer of acyclic hydrocarbons originating from Russia and Belarus have been prohibited. The national sanctions were adopted in September, imposed on the basis of the International Sanctions Act, and are aimed at reducing the economic capacity of the aggressor state to continue its military actions in Ukraine.
According to Hannes Umborg, Head of the Customs Management Department of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board, this constitutes an important step in limiting the economic “support” of the aggressor state. “Exports of energy carriers are one of Russia’s main sources of revenue, and restricting them delivers the most direct blow to the financing of Russia’s war machine. Each such sanction measure helps to limit the functioning of Russia’s economy and strengthens the unified and effective implementation of sanctions. At the same time, the ban will not affect Estonia’s security of supply or have a significant impact on consumers, as Estonian businesses already have reliable alternative natural gas suppliers,” Umborg said.
The full import ban will simplify customs controls and enhance the effectiveness of sanctions enforcement, as the Estonian Tax and Customs Board will no longer need to apply or distinguish exemptions related to LNG supplies within customs procedures. This will reduce the risk of sanctions violations and help ensure that goods originating from the aggressor state do not enter Estonia.
