US, Allies Discuss Expanding Russia Export Controls, Sanctions
Officials from the EU, the U.S., the U.K. and Japan met this week to discuss export controls against Russia and ways to expand existing restrictions to further damage Russia’s economy, said Denis Redonnet, the EU’s chief trade enforcement officer. Redonnet, speaking Dec. 6 at the EU’s annual export control forum, said the bloc used the forum as a backdrop to hold “bilateral, quad collective meetings” to look at “possible additional sanctions measures going forward” and to examine ways the countries can better enforce existing measures.
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“Frankly, our sense is that what we need to continue to do” is to “perhaps complement our export control measures to accelerate that degradation of Russia's military capabilities,” Redonnet said. “And we are committed to doing that as part of the sanctions regime.”
Redonnet said the EU has formed a “very, very close and intense relationship” with the U.S., Japan and the U.K. during the discussions. The countries see Russia “adapting its war economy as time goes by,” including by importing “lower-end items” that aren’t subject to export license requirements and cannibalizing them for their parts.
“That's going to create more challenges in terms of export restrictive measures from the EU, from members of the coalition,” Redonnet said. “It's going to require us to tackle, most probably, increasingly complex procurement and sourcing networks. But I think we are, as a coalition, precisely committed to doing that.”
The forum was held as the U.S. and the EU completed another set of Trade and Technology Council meetings in Maryland (see 2212050056). Davide Follador, an EU export control officer, said the group has “advanced discussions concerning licensing exceptions” and feels that the TTC has “delivered tangible results.”
He also said the group is next looking to address issues surrounding intangible technology transfers -- which the European industry has said needs modernizing (see 2206150038) -- and dual-use research. “This might be part of our further discussions or reflections next year,” Follador said.