EU Flags in front of the European Commission
The European Union is making swift progress on adopting much tougher economic sector sanctions against Russia for its role in the Ukraine crisis, officials said today.
After discussions on broadening the sanctions from the current mix of asset freezes and travel bans, legislative proposals required to give effect to the new punitive measures will be taken up Tuesday, they said.
The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, "will swiftly table the necessary legislative proposals in all areas identified" by member states earlier this week, a statement said.
The EU has been reluctant to adopt the tougher economic sector measures backed by Washington but the alleged shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 by pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine with a Russian-made missile has forced a clear change in thinking, although divisions clearly remain.
Citing the MH17 disaster and continued Russian support for the rebels, EU foreign ministers agreed on Tuesday the Commission and the bloc's external affairs arm should finalise work on tougher, sectoral measures.
They should "present proposals for taking action, including on access to capital markets, defence, dual-use goods and sensitive technologies, including in the energy sector."
Implementing such broader measures will need approval by all 28 EU leaders and a Commission spokeswoman said this was unlikely before Tuesday, when the legislative proposals will be tabled.
At a summit on Wednesday last week, just before MH17 was shot down, EU leaders had agreed to extend the current sanctions list because Moscow had failed to reverse course in Ukraine.
EU sources said Thursday that 15 Ukrainian and Russian individuals and 18 entities companies and local authorities set up by the rebels would be added to the current list of 72 names hit with visa bans and asset freezes.
The Commission declined to give the numbers involved but the spokeswoman said the list should be available late Friday.