https://sputnikglobe.com/20230911/sanctions-or-robbery-eu-okays-confiscation-of-cars-and-phones-from-russian-travelers-1113284323.html
Sanctions or Robbery? EU Okays Confiscation of Cars and Phones From Russian Travelers
Sanctions or Robbery? EU Okays Confiscation of Cars and Phones From Russian Travelers
Sputnik International
The sanctions heaped on Moscow in the wake of the West's orchestrated proxy war in Ukraine have morphed into repression of the individual freedoms of innocent Russians traveling to the EU.
2023-09-11T14:12+0000
2023-09-11T14:12+0000
2023-09-11T14:12+0000
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In another spate of sanctions, the European Union has targeted innocent Russians by nodding to the seizure of their personal belongings when they travel to the bloc, the European Commission disclosed recently.Items like cars, smartphones, and toiletries are prohibited for carriage by Russian travelers coming to the union.Among a slew of answers to the newly EU Commission-issued frequently asked questions concerning cars released on September 8, 2023, reads, "it is not relevant whether the goods are destined for the EU or not."These explanations surfaced due to several concerning trends involving German customs personnel and their seizure of private Russian cars upon entry into the country. This practice has been observed since at least July 2023.In response, Russia accused Berlin of "vehicle theft" and warned its citizens against traveling to Germany in their cars. The German authorities, on their part, justified their actions, citing a 2014 sanctions policy imposed on Russia, and thereafter reinforced after the escalation of the Ukraine crisis in 2022.Friday's disclosure by the European Commission conveys a remarkable increase in sanctions, asserting that a broad array of personal possessions, not confined to cars, would face forfeitures if found to have originated from Russia.When asked whether Russian nationals can temporarily bring personal goods and vehicles into the EU, including when traveling as tourists, Brussels said "no," adding that anything listed in Annex XXI to the EU regulation on sanctions against Russia is banned.The Annex features an extensive catalog of over 180 classes of personal possessions, extending beyond private cars. Among the items listed are women's garments, smartphones, cameras, various phone models, footwear, a diverse range of bags, perfumes, and, intriguingly, essential personal hygiene products such as soap and toilet paper.This is not the first wave of absurd regulations targeting Russia, since the EU and NATO countries have been waging a sanction campaign against Moscow since 2014. Russia firmly maintains that the imposition of trade constraints and the confiscation of any Russian assets is illegal, verging on outright theft.
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Sanctions or Robbery? EU Okays Confiscation of Cars and Phones From Russian Travelers
The sanctions heaped on Moscow in the wake of the West-orchestrated proxy war against Russia in Ukraine - and now the EU's "moral outrage" has morphed into pure violation of individual freedoms of common Russian citizens.
In another spate of sanctions, the European Union has targeted innocent Russians by nodding to the seizure of their personal belongings when they travel to the bloc, the European Commission disclosed recently.
Items like cars, smartphones, and toiletries are prohibited for carriage by Russian travelers coming to the union.
Among a slew of answers to the newly EU Commission-issued
frequently asked questions concerning cars released on September 8, 2023, reads, "it is not relevant whether the goods are destined for the EU or not."
The sanction involves "vehicles having a Russian license plate and are registered in Russia," according to the commission's document. It further states, "the duration of their possible stay in the Union and respectively the customs procedures under which they will be placed is also not relevant."
These explanations surfaced due to several concerning trends involving German customs personnel and their seizure of private Russian cars upon entry into the country. This practice has been observed since at least July 2023.
In response, Russia accused Berlin of "vehicle theft" and warned its citizens against traveling to Germany in their cars. The German authorities, on their part, justified their actions, citing a 2014 sanctions policy imposed on Russia, and thereafter reinforced after the escalation of the Ukraine crisis in 2022.
8 September 2023, 16:54 GMT
Friday's disclosure by the European Commission conveys a remarkable increase in sanctions, asserting that a broad array of personal possessions, not confined to cars, would face forfeitures if found to have originated from Russia.
When asked whether Russian nationals can temporarily bring personal goods and vehicles into the EU, including when traveling as tourists, Brussels said "no," adding that anything listed in Annex XXI to the EU regulation on sanctions against Russia is banned.
The Annex features an extensive catalog of over 180 classes of personal possessions, extending beyond private cars. Among the items listed are women's garments, smartphones, cameras, various phone models, footwear, a diverse range of bags, perfumes, and, intriguingly, essential personal hygiene products such as soap and toilet paper.
This is not the first wave of absurd regulations targeting Russia, since the EU and NATO countries have been waging a sanction campaign against Moscow since 2014. Russia firmly maintains that the imposition of trade constraints and the confiscation of any Russian assets is illegal, verging on outright theft.
