The European Union is about to set additional sanctions on Turkish individuals and companies responsible for drilling in contested waters in the Mediterranean, as Reuters news agency reported.
In fact, EU leaders will further consider the prepared draft statements at a summit today.
According to the draft statement seen by Reuters, if agreed, the EU will “prepare additional listings” on the basis of a sanctions list already in place since 2019 and “if need be, work on the extension” of its scope.
To remind, back on 11 November 2019, the EU adopted a framework of restrictive measures which provided that sanctions may be imposed on individuals or entities involved in unauthorised drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean.
As explained, the additional sanctions would be among the more conservative measures available to EU leaders, who vowed in October to use “all instruments” to pressure Turkey to stop exploring for hydrocarbons off the coast of Cyprus and Greece.
What is more, Reuters stated that the negotiations over the two-page statement are still ongoing and Greece and Cyprus, which accuse Turkey of drilling for hydrocarbons off its continental shelf, believe the sanctions do not go far enough.
Concluding, EU leaders are considering whether to make good on a threat made in October to sanction Turkey over the drilling for hydrocarbons off the coast of Cyprus and off Greece.
