A practical example of EU sanctions application to day-to-day travels was recently reported in the press. In summary, the matter related to a Belorussian couple apparently travelling by car from their holiday destination in Spain back to Belarus. The travellers were carrying with them certain amount of cash in euros. This is almost inevitable for many people these days, given that the Belorussian financial system is cut-off from the EU and, accordingly, cash remains the only available means of payment. While crossing the Swiss/French border, a customs check was carried, the cash identified and ceased.
Criminal proceedings were then commenced in a French court for (among others) breach of the EU sanctions which (generally) prohibit carrying cash to Belarus. The Court ruled that the relevant cash should be confiscated and imposed an additional fine.
This situation is a chilly reminder of how sanctions may adversely affect the lives of every person in the most unexpected way. It is also the reminder that the complexity of the EU sanctions currently in place with respect to Russia and Belarus is such that almost any cross-border interaction (whether business or personal) needs to be considered as to its compliance with the sanctions.
We discussed in a series of our earlier videos the situations where EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus may affect people who would never consider that their activities may be subject to such restrictions. These included the following matters:
- Our video on the way in which sanctions may restrict travelling with certain personal items, like personal vehicle or electronics intended for personal use (video);
- Our video on the restrictions relevant to travelling with cash to and from the EU (video);
- Our video on the restrictions related to the issue of EU visas (video).