Joint letter by the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, and the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, on restrictive measures against Russia*

Source: European Commission (EC) i, published on Friday, September 5 2014.

European Commission

Brussels, 5 September 2014

Joint letter by the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso i, and the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy i, on restrictive measures against Russia*

We would like to inform you of the steps taken to implement the Conclusions of the Special European Council of 30 August, in which the European Council requested "the Commission to urgently undertake preparatory work, jointly with the EEAS i, and present proposals for consideration within a week" so as to enhance the EU's restrictive measures in view of Russia's actions destabilising eastern Ukraine.

As requested by the European Council, the Commission and the EEAS presented to COREPER on 3rd September a set of enhanced measures related to access to capital markets, defence, dual use goods, and sensitive technologies. Additionally, a new list of individuals, including the new leadership in Donbass, the government of Crimea as well as Russian decision-makers and oligarchs was presented.

The selection and assessment of the options considered for this second round of economic sanctions followed the same criteria (effectiveness, cost/benefit, balance across sectors and Member States, international coordination, reversibility/scalability, legal defensibility/ease of enforcement) which guided the work on the previous package. The package agreed in July was in fact designed to be scaled up if necessary, with different gradation possible for action in the four areas concerned: capital markets, defence, dual use goods and sensitive technologies.

This new package of restrictive measures has now been agreed at the level of COREPER. It will give the European Union an effective tool, which should allow us to provide a response within a short time span. It will increase the effectiveness of the measures already in place. It will also reinforce the principle that EU sanctions are directed at promoting a change of course in Russia's actions in Ukraine.

Our intention is that the formal adoption of this package will be done through written procedure on Monday.

  • * 
    Sent to Members of the European Council

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