The European Commission explained the reasons for the arrests of personal vehicles of Russians at the German border. According to the agency, entering Europe with a car registered in the Russian Federation can be considered a prohibited import. The same applies to other personal property.
“It does not matter whether the vehicle is used for private or commercial purposes, as long as it is included in the customs codes listed in Annex XXI (including code 8703) and originates in or is exported from Russia,” the European Commission clarifies.
Customs code 8703 covers passenger cars and other vehicles designed to transport fewer than ten people.
Furthermore, Annex XXI to Article 3i specifies other items that may be seized by EU customs authorities. These include:
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cosmetics (HS code 3304);
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suitcases (4202);
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laptop computers (8471);
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mobile phones (8517);
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as well as leather and fur products, precious and semi-precious stones, cameras, toilet paper, shampoos, etc.
According to information from the European Commission, Russians cannot carry these personal items with them, even for tourist purposes.
In late June 2023, the Russians reported to Fontanka about cases of personal vehicle seizures in Germany; local customs officials explained it as sanctions. In early July, the Russian embassy in Germany asked Russians not to enter the country in private cars. In early September, the department reported that it was still recording vehicle impoundment cases.
In a conversation with RBC, Russian lawyers associated the arrests with abuses by German executive officials, since Article 3i prohibits the import and transfer to EU countries of goods listed in Annex XXI that “generate significant income for Russia”.
Photo: alexgo.photography / Shutterstock
Author:
Akhmed Sadulayev
Source: RB
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
