EP APPROVES RESOLUTION AGAINST RUSSIA’S SHADOW FLEET
The European Parliament in Plenary session adopted on 14 November a resolution calling for an EU crackdown on Russia’s shadow fleet, the increasing number of old tankers often uninsured and with unclear ownership allowing Russia to export its crude oil and petroleum products abroad, despite international sanctions.
The Parliament calls for more targeted measures against these vessels in the next EU sanctions packages, including all individual ships as well as their owners, operators, managers, accounts, banks and insurance companies. Amid raising fears over the risk of environmental disasters, including severe oil spills, MEPs demand the systematic sanctioning of vessels sailing through EU waters without known insurance and urges the EU to enhance its surveillance capabilities, especially drone and satellite monitoring, and to conduct targeted inspections at sea. MEPs want EU Member States to designate ports capable of handling sanctioned vessels carrying crude oil and LNG and to seize illegal cargo without compensation.
The resolution further calls on G7 countries to better enforce the price cap imposed on Russian seaborne oil, to substantially decrease the oil price cap and to crack down on the loopholes used by Russia to repackage and sell its oil and oil products at market prices. MEPs further reassess that the impact of economic sanctions as well as financial and military support to Ukraine is undermined as long as the EU continues to import Russian fossil fuels. The text calls on the EU and Member States to ban such imports, including LNG and to reconsider bilateral cooperation with third countries helping Russia circumvent EU restrictive measures.
Source: European Parliament