On EU actions against the Russian shadow fleets and ensuring a full enforcement of sanctions against Russia
B-10-2024-0166
on behalf of the ECR Group · Rapporteur: Adam Bielan, Alexandr Vondra, Reinis Pozņaks, Rihards Kols, Mariusz Kamiński, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Veronika Vrecionová, Michał Dworczyk, Assita Kanko, Roberts Zīle, Cristian Terheş, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Charlie Weimers, Aurelijus Veryga, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński
- Voted on · Adopted 0–0–0 · See the decision →
- Full procedure 2024/2885
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This resolution condemns Russia's use of shadow fleets to evade sanctions and calls for stronger EU and Member State actions to enforce sanctions, enhance maritime safety, and prevent environmental disasters.¶¶¶ It urges measures such as banning re-exported Russian oil products, requiring insurance disclosure, restricting vessel sales, imposing secondary sanctions, and improving surveillance and transparency.¶¶
Key points
- Condemns Russia's shadow fleet as a key financial lifeline and a tool to circumvent sanctions, and considers ship-to-ship transfers in high seas as high-risk activities.¶
- Considers unregistered, underinsured or uninsured vessels and their violations of communication and navigation standards a threat to maritime security and international law.¶
- Calls for a full ban on re-exported Russian refined oil products to close loopholes and ensure cessation of Russian fossil fuel imports, and no new agreements with Russian energy companies.¶
- Calls for strict implementation of the IMO resolution on illegal maritime operations, including reporting all ship-to-ship transfers and enhanced port inspections.¶
- Calls for more effective actions to ensure maritime safety, including continuing and expanding the vessel designation campaign.¶
- Calls on countries with international straits to require proof of insurance and safety standards, and on Member States to require disclosure of oil spill insurance coverage.¶
- Calls for broadening restrictions on vessel sales to limit Russia's acquisition of tankers from the 'white fleet'.¶
- Urges Member States where shadow fleet owners or managers are registered to take immediate action to stop sanctions circumvention.¶
- Condemns states and entities helping Russia evade sanctions and calls for stepped-up efforts to limit evasion and ensure maritime safety.¶
- Encourages enhanced surveillance, especially satellite monitoring for ship-to-ship transfers, and allocation of resources to Member States with major shipping sectors.¶
- Urges collaboration with environmental agencies to hold violators responsible for ecological damage and enforce oil spill insurance requirements.¶
- Recommends secondary sanctions on non-EU financial entities supporting Russian oil trade, and encourages global transparency standards in vessel registration.¶¶
Who is affected
- Member States, especially those with shadow fleet owners or managers registered (e.g., Greece, Cyprus), are urged to act against sanctions evasion.¶¶
- Non-EU financial entities indirectly supporting Russian oil trade may face secondary sanctions.¶
- Vessel owners and managers, including those using shell companies or flags of convenience, face calls for transparency and restrictions.¶¶