Council Regulation (EU) 2025/1494 of 18 July 2025 amending Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine

‘1aa Without prejudice to the prohibition on indirect exports in paragraph 1 of this Article and Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2021/821, an authorisation shall be required for the export of goods and technology which might contribute to Russia’s military and technological enhancement, or the development of the defence and security sector, as listed in Annex VII to this Regulation, to any third country other than Russia, if the exporter has been informed by the competent authority of the Member State where the exporter is resident or established that the items in question are or may be intended, in their entirety or in part, for any natural or legal person, entity or body in Russia, or for use in Russia.’

‘6a Where an authorisation is required in accordance with paragraph 1aa, the competent authorities shall proceed in accordance with the rules and procedures laid down in Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2021/821, which shall apply mutatis mutandis.’

‘3ah With regard to the goods falling under the CN codes listed in Annex XXIIIE, the prohibitions in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply to the execution until 21 October 2025 of contracts concluded before 20 July 2025, or of ancillary contracts necessary for the execution of such contracts.

3ai With regard to the goods falling under the CN codes listed in Annex XXIIIF, the prohibitions in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply to the execution until 21 January 2026 of contracts concluded before 20 July 2025, or of ancillary contracts necessary for the execution of such contracts.’

‘5h The competent authorities may authorise, under such conditions as they deem appropriate, the sale, supply, transfer or export of goods falling under CN code 842230, or the provision of related technical or financial assistance, after having determined that such goods or the provision of related technical or financial assistance are necessary for the packaging of food, beverages and pharmaceuticals.

5i The competent authorities may authorise, under such conditions as they deem appropriate, the sale, supply, transfer or export of goods falling under CN code 340290, or the provision of related technical or financial assistance, after having determined that such goods or the provision of related technical or financial assistance are necessary for the execution of contracts concluded before 1 January 2025 until 1 January 2028 or until their expiry date, whichever is earlier.’

‘3b The exemption in paragraph 3, point (d), shall stop applying to Czechia as from 1 July 2025.’

1 It shall be prohibited, as of 21 January 2026, to purchase, import or transfer, directly or indirectly into the Union, petroleum products falling under CN code 2710 obtained in a third country from crude oil falling under CN code 270900 originating in Russia. For the purposes of the application of this paragraph, at the moment of importation, importers shall provide evidence of the country of origin of the crude oil used for the refining of the product in a third country unless the product is imported from a partner country listed in Annex LI. Petroleum products imported from third countries which were net exporters of crude oil in the previous calendar year shall be considered to have been obtained from domestic crude oil and not from crude oil originating in Russia, unless a competent authority has reasonable grounds to believe that they have been obtained from Russian crude oil.

2 It shall be prohibited to provide, directly or indirectly, technical assistance, brokering services, financing or financial assistance, as well as insurance and re-insurance, related to the prohibition in paragraph 1.’

1 It shall be prohibited to: (a) sell, supply, transfer or export, directly or indirectly, the goods and technology listed in the Common Military List of the European Union (the “Common Military List”), whether or not originating in the Union, to any natural or legal person, entity or body in Russia or for use in Russia; (b) provide, directly or indirectly: (i) technical assistance, brokering services or other services related to military activities or to the goods and technology listed in the Common Military List, or related to the provision, manufacture, maintenance and use of goods included in that list, to any natural or legal person, entity or body in Russia or for use in Russia; (ii) financing or financial assistance related to military activities or to the sale, supply, transfer or export of the goods and technology listed in the Common Military List, or the provision of related technical assistance, brokering services or other services, to any natural or legal person, entity or body in Russia or for use in Russia; (c) purchase, import or transport, directly or indirectly, the goods and technology listed in the Common Military List into the Union if they originate in Russia or are exported from Russia.

2 The prohibitions in paragraph 1 shall be without prejudice to: (a) the import, purchase or transport related to: (i) the provision of spare parts and services necessary for the maintenance and safety of existing capabilities within the Union; or (ii) the execution of contracts concluded before 1 August 2014, or ancillary contracts necessary for the execution of such contracts; or (b) the sale, supply, transfer or export of, or the provision of related financing or financial assistance, technical assistance, brokering services or other services for, spare parts and services necessary for the maintenance, repair and safety of existing capabilities within the Union.

2a The prohibitions in paragraph 1 shall not apply to: (a) the sale, supply, transfer or export, or the provision of related financing or financial assistance, technical assistance, brokering services or other services, and to the import, purchase or transport of hydrazine (CAS 302-01-2) in concentrations of 70 % or more, provided that the amount of hydrazine is calculated in accordance with the launch or launches or the satellites for which it is made, and which does not exceed a total quantity of 800 kg for each individual launch or satellite; (b) the import, purchase or transport of unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine (CAS 57-14-7); (c) the sale, supply, transfer or export and to the import, purchase or transport of monomethyl hydrazine (CAS 60-34-4), provided that the amount of monomethyl hydrazine is calculated in accordance with the launch or launches or the satellites for which it is made, insofar as the substances referred to in points (a), (b) and (c) are destined for the use of launchers operated by European launch service providers, for the use of launches of European space programmes, or for the fuelling of satellites by European satellites manufacturers.

2aa The prohibitions in paragraph 1 shall not apply to the sale, supply, transfer or export, or the provision of related financing or financial assistance, technical assistance, brokering services or other services, and the import, purchase or transport of hydrazine (CAS 302-01-2) in concentrations of 70 % or more destined for: (a) the tests and flight of the ExoMars descent module in the framework of the ExoMars 2020 mission, in an amount calculated in accordance with the needs of each phase of that mission, which does not exceed a total of 5000 kg for the entire duration of the mission; or (b) the flight of the ExoMars carrier module in the framework of the ExoMars 2020 mission, in an amount calculated in accordance with the needs of the flight, which does not exceed a total of 300 kg.

2b The operations referred to in paragraphs 2a and 2aa shall be subject to prior authorisation by the competent authorities. Applicants for authorisation shall supply the competent authorities with all relevant information required. The competent authorities shall inform the Commission of all the authorisations granted.

3 The following shall be subject to an authorisation from the competent authority concerned: (a) the sale, supply, transfer or export of items listed in Annex II, directly or indirectly, to any natural or legal person, entity or body in Russia, including its Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf or, if such sale, supply, transfer or export concerns items for use in Russia, including its Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf, to any person, entity or body in any other State; (b) the provision of technical assistance, brokering services or other services related to items listed in Annex II and to the provision, manufacture, maintenance and use of those items, directly or indirectly, to any natural or legal person, entity or body in Russia, including its Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf or, if such assistance concerns items for use in Russia, including its Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf, to any person, entity or body in any other State; (c) the provision of financing or financial assistance related to items referred to in Annex II for any sale, supply, transfer or export of those items, or for any provision of related technical assistance, brokering services or other services, directly or indirectly, to any natural or legal person, entity or body in Russia, including its Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf or, if such assistance concerns items for use in Russia, including its Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf, to any person, entity or body in any other State. In duly justified cases of emergency referred to in Article 3(5), the provision of services referred to in this paragraph may proceed without prior authorisation, on condition that the provider notifies the competent authority within five working days of the provision of services.

4 Where authorisations are requested pursuant to paragraph 3 of this Article, Article 3, and in particular paragraphs 2 and 5 thereof, shall apply mutatis mutandis.

1 It shall be prohibited to directly or indirectly engage in any transaction with a legal person, entity or body established outside of the Union that: (a) is a credit or financial institution or an entity providing crypto assets services that is significantly frustrating the purpose of the prohibitions in this Regulation and Regulation (EU) No 269/2014, as listed in Part A of Annex XLV to this Regulation; (b) is a credit or financial institution or an entity providing crypto assets services that supports Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, including by processing transactions or providing export financing for trade operations that frustrate the purpose of this Regulation, as listed in Part B of Annex XLV to this Regulation; (c) is not a credit or financial institution or an entity providing crypto assets services and is significantly frustrating the purpose of the prohibitions set out in Articles 3m, 3n and 3s of this Regulation, as listed in Part C of Annex XLV to this Regulation.

2 The prohibition in paragraph 1 shall apply to a legal person, entity or body acting on behalf or at the direction of an entity referred to in points (a), (b) and (c) of paragraph 1.

3 The prohibition in paragraph 1 shall not apply to transactions that are: (a) necessary for the export, sale, supply, transfer or transport of pharmaceutical, medical or agricultural and food products, including wheat and fertilisers, whose export, sale, supply, transfer or transport to Russia is allowed under this Regulation; (b) strictly necessary to ensure access to judicial, administrative or arbitral proceedings in a Member State, as well as for the recognition or enforcement of a judgment or an arbitration award rendered in a Member State, provided that such transactions are consistent with the objectives of this Regulation and Regulation (EU) No 269/2014; or (c) necessary for humanitarian purposes, such as delivering or facilitating the delivery of assistance, including medical supplies, food, or the transfer of humanitarian workers and related assistance or for evacuations.’

1 It shall be prohibited to engage, directly or indirectly, in any transaction in connection with the natural gas pipelines Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2, with regard to the completion, operation, maintenance or use of the pipelines. In addition, it shall be prohibited to engage, directly or indirectly, in any transaction in connection with the financing concerning the completion, operation or use of the pipelines.

2 The prohibitions in paragraph 1 shall not apply to transactions that are strictly necessary for the urgent prevention or mitigation of an event likely to have a serious and significant impact on human health and safety, maritime shipping or the environment or as a response to natural disasters.

3 By way of derogation from paragraph 1, the competent authorities may authorise transactions that are strictly necessary: (a) for the wind-down or restructuring of a legal person, entity or body in connection with the natural gas pipelines Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 where this is necessary to ensure that the natural gas pipelines Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 will not be used; (b) to claim compensation, recoveries or any other means, from any natural or legal person, entity or body in connection with the natural gas pipelines Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2; (c) to effect and receive payments or recoveries that are due or become due under, or in connection with, court orders, financings, insurance, warrants or any other contracts or agreements in connection with the natural gas pipelines Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 that were entered into before 20 July 2025; (d) for a settlement, or judicial or arbitration proceedings in connection with the natural gas pipelines Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2; (e) for regular maintenance services which are strictly necessary to prevent environmental and safety risks or a negative impact on the fisheries sector. Before issuing such an authorisation, the competent authorities shall provide the Commission with a draft thereof. Within 30 days of receipt of that draft, the Commission may issue an opinion to the competent authorities stating that the envisaged transaction would be prejudicial to the Union’s interests. The Commission shall inform the Council of such an opinion.

4 Operators shall inform the competent authority of the Member State where they are incorporated or under whose law they are constituted of any transaction concluded pursuant to paragraph 2 within two weeks of its conclusion. The Member State concerned shall inform the other Member States and the Commission of any information received pursuant to this paragraph within two weeks of its receipt.

5 The Member State concerned shall inform the other Member States and the Commission of any authorisation granted pursuant to paragraph 3 within two weeks of the authorisation.

1 It shall be prohibited to directly or indirectly engage in any transaction with: (a) the Russian Direct Investment Fund; (b) a legal person, entity or body owned or controlled by the Russian Direct Investment Fund; (c) a legal person, entity or body established outside of the Union in which an entity referred to in point (a) or (b) has made, directly or indirectly, a significant investment, as listed in Annex XLIX to this Regulation; (d) a legal person, entity or body established outside of the Union providing investment services or other financial services to an entity referred to in point (a), (b) or (c), as listed in Annex L to this Regulation; (e) a legal person, entity or body acting on behalf or at the direction of an entity referred to in point (a), (b), (c) or (d).

2 By way of derogation from paragraph 1, the competent authorities may authorise transactions that are strictly necessary for the purchase, import or transport of pharmaceutical and medical products, the import, purchase and transport of which is allowed under this Regulation.

3 By way of derogation from paragraph 1, the competent authorities may authorise until 31 December 2026, under such conditions as they deem appropriate, transactions which are strictly necessary for the divestment and withdrawal from Russia or the wind-down of business activities in Russia.

4 The Member State concerned shall inform the other Member States and the Commission of any authorisation granted pursuant to paragraph 2 or 3 within two weeks of the authorisation.’

Where no court of a Member State has jurisdiction pursuant to other provisions of Union law or of the law of a Member State, a court of a Member State may, on an exceptional basis, hear a claim for damages brought pursuant to Article 11a, Article 11b or Article 11e, provided that the case has a sufficient connection with the Member State of the court seised.’

Any Member State shall, where applicable, take any appropriate measures to recover or be entitled to recover, in judicial proceedings before the competent courts of a Member State, any direct or indirect damages, including legal costs, incurred by that Member State as a consequence of investor-State dispute settlement proceedings brought against a Member State in connection with measures imposed under this Regulation or Regulation (EU) No 269/2014. The Member State shall, where applicable, be entitled to recover such damages from any persons, entities or bodies referred to in Article 11(1), point (a), (b) or (c), of this Regulation, which initiated, intervened or participated in the investor-State dispute settlement or which seek to enforce any award, decision or judgment related to the investor-State dispute settlement and persons, entities or bodies that own or control any of those persons, entities or bodies. Where applicable, the Union shall be entitled to recover any damages incurred by it under the same conditions.

Member States shall raise any available objection to the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards that were rendered against them in investor-State dispute settlement proceedings in connection with measures imposed under this Regulation or Regulation (EU) No 269/2014.’

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.