New EU sanctions: France and Italy against tough restrictions on Russia, - Bloomberg
France and Italy are concerned about the EU’s new proposed sanctions against Russia, particularly the travel ban on former military personnel and changes to oil policy.
According to Censor.NET, Bloomberg reports this, citing sources familiar with the negotiations.
This refers to one of the provisions of the draft 21st package of EU sanctions against Russia, which member states plan to discuss.
Concerns about the expansion of restrictions
According to sources, Rome and Paris do not object to the idea of barring former Russian military personnel from entering the EU, but they fear that the current version of the proposal could effectively lead to a broader entry ban on Russian citizens in general.
In addition, both countries believe that it is more appropriate to impose such restrictions through visa policy rather than within the framework of the EU’s sanctions mechanism.
The Difficulty of Verifying Participation in Combat Operations
One of the key concerns is the difficulty of applying the proposed rules in practice.
European diplomats note that the new provision effectively places the burden on member states to determine on their own whether an individual has participated in hostilities, which complicates the implementation of the decision.
Discussion of a broader package of sanctions
In addition to the issue of entry, the 21st sanctions package also addresses the following:
- new restrictions on banks and cryptocurrency operators;
- measures against "shadow fleet" vessels;
- Sanctions on the transport of Russian liquefied natural gas may be expanded;
- discussions regarding the mechanism for capping the price of Russian oil.
Some countries have also expressed concern about proposals to restrict imports of certain types of Russian seafood.
