EU expands scope for Belarus sanctions

In response to increasing reports that Belarus has been helping people travel into the EU illegally, the EU has announced additional sanctions.  

On 15 November, the European Council amended the Belarus sanctions regime to broaden the listing criteria permitting sanctions to be imposed on individuals and entities "organising or contributing to activities by the Lukashenko regime that facilitate illegal crossing of the EU's external borders." 

Designations may also be made against those "facilitating the transfer of prohibited goods and the illegal transfer of restricted goods, including hazardous goods into the EU". 

The measures are due to be finalised in the next few days, but are expected to include prohibitions on new aircraft leases for state-owned airlines. 

The UK Parliament has also discussed introducing further changes to the Belarus sanctions regime.

See our previous posts here and here.