On 15 February 2023, European Commission’s President von der Leyen stated that EU is turning up the pressure with a 10th package of sanctions against Russia, almost one year of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The 10^th package consists of four proposals:

• Further export bans worth more than €11 billion, to deprive the Russian economy of critical technology and industrial goods, targeting many industrial goods that Russia needs and cannot get through backfilling by third countries. Vital goods such as electronics, specialized vehicles, machine parts, spare parts for trucks and jet engines.
• Further restrictions on the export of dual use goods and advanced tech goods – controls to be imposed on 47 new electronic components that can be used in Russian weapons systems, including drones, missiles, helicopters and on specific rare earth materials and thermal cameras. For the first time ever, EU is adding third country entities to the Russia dual use sanctions. Iran's Revolutionary Guards have been providing Russia with Shahed drones to attack civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Therefore, seven Iranian entities have been added to the dual use regime and are now under a complete ban to sell sensitive items to Russia. EU states its eagerness to list further Iranian and other third country entities that are providing sensitive technology to Russia. This should act as a strong deterrent to other companies and international traders.
• Further restrictions on Russia's propaganda machine – the EU proposes to list Putin's propagandists as well as additional military and political commanders.
• New measures to prevent circumvention – the EU plans to track oligarchs trying to hide or to sell their assets to escape sanctions and all Member States united will set up an overview of all frozen assets of the Russian Central Bank held in the EU. This is crucial in view of the possible use of public Russian assets to fund reconstruction in Ukraine. Member States, operators and partner countries, working closely to tackle circumvention.

EU Council’s Vice President Josep Borrell in his own press statement said that “additionally, I am submitting to the Council a list of proposals to sanction almost 100 additional individuals and entities for their role in undermining sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. This includes those responsible for military activities, for political decisions, propaganda, and disinformation”.

The precise content of the 10^th package continues to be negotiated between the EU Member States, although it seems that the intention to release the measures on Friday 24 February 2023, being the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, remains in place.

The official statement by President von der Leyen can be found here

The press statement by Vice President Borrell can be found here