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EU actions against the Russian shadow fleets and ensuring a full enforcement of sanctions against Russia

TA-10-2024-0036 · P10_TA(2024)0036 · PE764.162

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 4 Sept 2026

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Parliament's resolution on EU actions against the Russian shadow fleets and ensuring full enforcement of sanctions against Russia condemns Russia's war and the shadow fleet, and calls for stronger sanctions, bans, inspections, and environmental protections. It demands targeted sanctions on shadow fleet vessels and related entities, bans on ship-to-ship transfers and imports of Russian fossil fuels, and enhanced enforcement and monitoring measures. It also calls for international cooperation, better insurance verification, and increased preparedness for oil spills.

Key points

  1. Reiterates condemnation of Russia's war and calls for immediate withdrawal of forces and release of detained Ukrainians.
  2. Calls for intensified efforts to curb sanctions evasion and circumvention, and for concrete measures to ensure maritime safety and prevent environmental hazards in European waters.
  3. Calls for more targeted sanctions on the shadow fleet, including designating vessels, owners, operators, and related entities, and banning Western vessels from transporting Russian oil.
  4. Urges flag states to delist sanctioned vessels and calls for reassessing bilateral cooperation with countries aiding Russia's sanctions evasion.
  5. Condemns European shipowners' involvement and calls for banning tanker sales to countries facilitating trade with Russia.
  6. Calls for enhanced EU-wide enforcement, including immediate inspections of vessels in EU waters to verify insurance and compliance with IMO requirements.
  7. Calls for strict implementation of IMO Resolution A.1192(33), restricting shadow fleet access to EU waters, and establishing a comprehensive list of shadow fleet vessels.
  8. Calls for banning ship-to-ship transfers of Russian oil in EU waters and prohibiting anchoring and fuelling of such ships.
  9. Calls for banning all imports of Russian fossil fuels, including LNG, and nuclear products, and for including vessels exporting Russian LNG on the EU sanctions list.
  10. Calls for more effective enforcement of the price cap, decreasing it, and banning re-exported Russian refined oil products.
  11. Calls for enhanced environmental disaster preparedness and additional funding for oil spill response vessels for the European Maritime Safety Agency.
  12. Calls for clearer guidelines and due diligence standards for EU companies and financial institutions to avoid interactions with shadow fleet entities.

Who is affected

  • Russian shadow fleet vessels and their owners, operators, managers, and insurers face targeted sanctions and bans.
  • EU Member States are called on to enforce inspections, bans, and monitoring of vessels in their waters and ports.
  • EU companies and financial institutions must adopt due diligence standards to avoid interactions with shadow fleet entities.
  • Flag states aiding the shadow fleet face potential reassessment of bilateral cooperation with the EU.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 9 billion spent by Russia on building its shadow fleet.
  • 27 vessels placed on the EU sanctions list so far.
  • 18 Russian oil tankers and 4 LNG tankers sanctioned by the UK in October 2024.
  • 160-200 tankers operated monthly by Russia's shadow fleet, with an estimated total of 600 vessels.
  • At least 600 tankers worldwide in the shadow fleet.