EU: Russian goods transit the EU via rail transit

International Business News  –  On the 13th local time, the European Commission said that Russian goods can be transited through the EU by rail, but goods transported by road are not allowed.

The European Commission pointed out in a guidance document sent to member states on the same day, “According to EU measures, Russian operators are not allowed to transport sanctioned goods by road, but without prejudice to member states’ fulfillment of sanctions obligations, railways are not allowed to transport sanctioned goods. There is no similar ban on shipping.”

The document states that, regardless of the mode of transport, Russia is completely prohibited from transporting sanctioned military and dual-use goods and technologies.

Government officials in Kaliningrad, Russia, said they would study the wording of the European Commission’s rules on the transit of goods before reaching a conclusion.

Previously, Russia had strongly protested against Lithuania, an EU member state, which prohibited the transfer of some goods from other parts of Russia to Kaliningrad Oblast, and demanded that the relevant restrictions be lifted immediately, otherwise Russia would take responsive measures. Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania, gets goods and energy from the rest of Russia mainly by rail and gas pipelines. The only railway between the two goes through Lithuania.

Governor of Kaliningrad Region, Russia: EU agreeing to the transit of goods is only the first step, Russia will work to remove all transportation restrictions

According to RIA Novosti, the Governor of Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, Arikhanov, said on the 13th that the current proposal by the European Union to solve the problem of transporting supplies from Russia to Kaliningrad is only the first step to solve the problem. The same decision is made with regard to motor transport. He pointed out that Kaliningrad Oblast will achieve the EU’s goal of removing all transport restrictions.