On 18 June 2018, the European Council extended the restrictive measures in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by Russia until 23 June 2019. The measures are limited to the territory of Crimea and Sevastopol.
The restrictive measures apply to EU persons and EU based companies, and include prohibitions on:
- Imports of products originating in Crimea or Sevastopol into the EU;
- Investment in Crimea or Sevastopol: No Europeans nor EU-based companies can buy real estate or entities in Crimea, finance Crimean companies or supply related services;
- Tourism services in Crimea or Sevastopol: European cruise ships cannot call at ports in the Crimean peninsula, except in case of emergency;
- Exports of certain goods and technologies to Crimean companies or for use in Crimea in the transport, telecommunications and energy sectors and related to the prospection, exploration and production of oil, gas and mineral resources. Technical assistance, brokering, construction or engineering services related to infrastructure in these sectors must not be provided either.
As the European Council stated:
Four years on from the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation, the EU reiterated that it does not recognise and continues to condemn this violation of international law.
