EU member resumes sanctioned goods transit

Lithuanian Railways resumed the transit of sanctioned goods from Russia to its exclave of Kaliningrad, starting on July 22, Mantas Dubauskas, spokesman for LTG Cargo, the freight subsidiary of Lithuanian Railways, said on LRT TV on Friday.

“Customers are informed that it is already possible to transport, since we have received [EU] clarifications... If clients make it in time to transport [the cargo] today, then it is possible that some products will be shipped today,” Dubauskas said, as cited by TASS.

On June 18, Lithuanian Railways stopped the transit to Kaliningrad of a number of goods that fell under EU sanctions. Russia said Lithuania was acting aggressively and summoned EU Ambassador Markus Ederer to the Foreign Ministry. Moscow demanded that the transit be resumed immediately, otherwise retaliatory measures would follow. The Lithuanian authorities denied violating the transit agreement and claimed that they were only complying with EU sanctions.

However, on July 13, the European Commission issued an “additional guidance on the transit of goods from Russia,” clarifying that the transit of sanctioned goods to Kaliningrad from other Russian cities by rail would be allowed, but subject to cargo control – the transportation of goods should not exceed the volumes shipped to the region on average over the past three years.

The transit of sanctioned Russian cargo remains prohibited only by road. However, the transit of sanctioned military and dual use goods is still fully prohibited “regardless of the mode of transport.”

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