Russian government extends counter-sanctions till end of 2018

July 5, 2017 JRL Russia List Agriculture, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Europe, EU, Sanctions

MOSCOW. July 5 (Interfax) – Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a resolution extending the ban on imports of certain types of agricultural products, raw materials and food, the governmental website said in a report on Wednesday.

“The ban on imports of certain types of agricultural products, raw materials and food originating from the United States, EU member countries, Canada, Australia, Norway, Ukraine, Albania, Montenegro, Iceland and Liechtenstein, by Russia has been extended for the period from January 1 through December 31, 2018,” the report said.

The restrictions constitute economic countermeasures against certain states depending on the degree of their involvement in the sanctions imposed on Russia, the report said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed on June 30 an executive order to extend countermeasures against the anti-Russian sanctions imposed by the European Union till December 31, 2018.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on June 29 the government would suggest that the president extend the counter-sanctions after the EU had extended the restrictions on Russia.

“Of course, we will react proportionately. We discussed the issue with the president yesterday. The government will suggest that the countermeasures be extended for another year, through December 31, 2018,” Medvedev said at a government meeting on June 29.

Russia imposed the embargo on food imports from the United States, the European Union, Australia, Norway and Canada on August 7, 2014. The list was expanded on August 13, 2015, with the countries that joined the anti-Russian sanctions, i.e. Albania, Montenegro, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Ukraine was added to the list on January 1, 2016.

The ban applies to meat, meat products, milk, dairy products, fish, fish products, fruit and vegetables. Salt was added to the list of blacklisted products on November 1, 2016. The ban on salt deliveries for the production of medicines and bio-active supplements was lifted on May 20, 2017.