Transports under EU sanctions contain especially computers, boating equipment and electronics

Custom has continued enforcing the sanctions imposed by the EU against Russia as an essential element of its daily enforcement work. Transports under sanctions have mostly contained IT products and other electronics. However, sanctions also cover for example boating equipment, drones and optical devices. Customs enforces sanctions based on risk analysis of goods flows, and carries out physical enforcement at customs offices.

The European Union has imposed altogether seven packages of extensive import and export sanctions against Russia due to the attack on Ukraine. As the implementing authority, Customs enforces sanctions as a part of normal customs enforcement.

– We enforce sanctions based on acquired information as extensively as possible. We have shaped our risk analysis concerning flows of goods so that the enforcement of EU sanctions against Russia is pragmatic and efficient, says Mr Sami Rakshit, Director of the Enforcement Department.

– We have selected more than 16 000 cases for processing based on EU sanctions against Russia. We have done targeted controls on almost a thousand of these cases, Rakshit elaborates.

If needed, Finnish Customs requests a statement from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs on whether a certain product is subject to EU sanctions. Customs has sent about 580 requests for statements, and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has replied to more than 500 of these requests. Almost 200 statements have involved goods under sanctions. Customs sent most of the requests for statements in March-May. Most of the transports that Customs has stopped have been road transports in Vaalimaa.

– The majority of statements involves commercial transports. Computer supplies, general electronics, as well as boating and maritime products have stood out, says Rakshit.

More than 100 sanctioned transports now under preliminary investigation

In March-May, the volumes of product categories under sanctions increased as the EU imposed new packages of sanctions. Some of the products under enforcement of sanctions are dual-use goods, that is, products that can be used for both civilian and military purposes.

In March-May, the transports that Customs stopped contained especially IT products such as computers, hard drives and other electronics, as well as boating and maritime equipment, boats and optical devices. Transports under sanctions also contained tow hitches for trucks and equipment spare parts.

In July-August, transport under sanctions contained especially computers, mobile phones and other electronics. Customs also intercepted boating equipment such as fish radars and drones.

Finnish Customs has started about 250 preliminary surveys concerning transports under EU sanctions, of which about 120 cases are currently under preliminary investigation.