The head of EU diplomacy, Federica Mogerini, found it difficult to recognize the deliveries of the German corporation's turbines to the Crimea as a violation of existing directives on sanctions against the Crimea. So the vice-president of the European Commission (EC) responded to the request of European Parliament deputies Rebecca Harms (Germany) and Petras Ashtryavichus (Lithuania). Both MEPs were interested in what the EC will do in connection with the fact that the turbines produced by the German machine building concern Siemens were supplied to the territory of the Crimea, which is under EU and US sanctions, and how to avoid such cases in the future.
The EU legislation establishes restrictive measures in response to the "illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol." Sanctions include a ban on exports to the region of goods in the following industries: transport, telecommunications, energy, oil, gas, and minerals. Equipment for power plants is also prohibited for supplies to the Crimea.
On July 5, the Reuters agency reported that two (in the request of the MEPs it was said about two turbines.) - The turbines were delivered to the Crimea. These were gas turbines SGT5-200E, which are produced only by Siemens subsidiaries.
- The commission has to understand, will these turbines remain on the peninsula and will they be used? What is the vision of the commission of this issue in connection with sanctions that prohibit the export of goods, in particular, the energy sector? What will the commission do if it turns out that the sale and delivery of gas turbines have been carried out in violation of the EU directives on imposing sanctions against the Crimea and Sevastopol? - the deputies note in the request.
Mogerini responded to the parliamentarians that, according to the agreement (Article 291) on the functioning of the EU, all restrictive measures are imposed by the member states of the European Union, which are also responsible for verifying their application. EU countries are obliged to apply national legislation to ensure effective, proportionate and restraining punishment imposed for violations of the implementation of relevant directives, and must ensure that it (punishment) is applied. The commission's implementation of restrictive measures is important, and the commission maintains contacts with national competent authorities whenever a specific and documented example of possible violations of restrictive measures is presented to its attention.
