On EU actions against the Russian shadow fleets and ensuring a full enforcement of sanctions against Russia

B100160/2024

European Parliament resolution on EU actions against the Russian shadow fleets and ensuring a full enforcement of sanctions against Russia

(2024/2885(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–having regard to the Treaty on European Union,

–having regard to the European Council conclusions imposing restrictive measures on Russia in response to its aggression against Ukraine,

–having regard to the EU’s sanctions regimes under the common foreign and security policy, and to the guidelines for their implementation,

–having regard to reports on the effectiveness of sanctions regimes and the unintended role of EU entities in sustaining ‘shadow fleet’ activities,

–having regard to the 1857 Copenhagen Convention governing navigation through the Danish Straits,

–having regard to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, particularly the provisions thereof on the protection and preservation of the marine environment,

–having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.whereas Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine has severe humanitarian, economic and environmental consequences across the region;

B.whereas the EU, together with the Price Cap Coalition, has imposed sanctions against Russia targeting key sectors and individuals, including a ban on the import of crude oil and price caps on Russian fossil fuels, with the intention of weakening Russia’s ability to fund its military aggression; whereas the success of these sanctions hinges on their strict and full implementation;

C.whereas in response to the sanctions, Russia has developed a ‘shadow fleet’ of obscure and mostly decrepit vessels to facilitate trade and evade sanctions, particularly in the oil sector;

D.whereas the 14 sanctions packages that the EU has put in place against Russia since the beginning of the war of aggression against Ukraine have limited Russia’s ability to wage war but have not managed to stop the war;

E.whereas the ‘shadow fleet’ frequently circumvents the sanctions by sailing under flags of convenience from countries with little to no control over the ship’s security standards, without adhering to international safety or environmental standards; whereas this creates a backdoor route for Russian oil and undermines the impact of EU sanctions;

F.whereas the ‘shadow fleet’ is often comprised of old, structurally unsound vessels, posing substantial risks to marine ecosystems, with the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas being particularly vulnerable to oil spills, pollution and other maritime incidents; whereas recent reports suggest that this fleet has grown by 70 % over the last year and is estimated to have more than 600 vessels;

G.whereas the Baltic and Mediterranean Seas are highly sensitive marine environments, with the former being a nearly enclosed sea that is prone to slow water renewal and the latter experiencing significant pressure from pollution, overfishing, oil and gas drilling, biodiversity loss and climate change, making these regions especially susceptible to environmental damage from increased ‘shadow fleet’ activity; whereas the legal possibilities of attributing liability or obtaining compensation in the event of an incident are limited due to the vessels’ unclear ownership and invalid or fake insurance, leaving the cost of attempting to remedy a potential spill for the affected Member States and the EU;

H.whereas the EU’s sanctions on Russian oil and gas exports have had significant impacts on energy prices and inflation within the EU, contributing to rising costs for consumers and industries and reshaping the EU’s energy policy and supply chains; whereas the recent surge in energy prices has been exacerbated by financial market speculation;

I.whereas the EU’s sanctions policy has faced criticism for applying a double standard, especially for the failure to impose sanctions on Israel despite its war of aggression against Palestine, its continued occupation of Palestinian territories, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and its alleged acts of genocide, as acknowledged by the International Court of Justice;

J.whereas the sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in 2022 disrupted gas supplies and caused significant environmental harm from methane emissions, impacting the Baltic Sea’s ecosystem and EU energy security;

K.whereas the purchase by Member States of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) or oil of Russian origin from non-EU countries is not restricted and is currently taking place at levels well above those seen before February 2022; whereas Russia is the EU’s second largest supplier of LNG, behind only the US; whereas the increase in LNG imports from Russia runs counter to the EU’s aim of ending its reliance on Russian fossil fuels; whereas the EU is still sending EUR 2 billion per month to Russia for fossil fuels; whereas, through its continued imports of pipeline gas and LNG, as well as various exceptions to the bans on importing crude oil and oil products, the EU remains one of Russia’s largest clients for fossil fuels;

L.whereas the EU’s growing dependence on US LNG imports has raised concerns regarding both energy security and economic sustainability, as the high costs of LNG are straining Member States’ budgets, contributing to increased energy prices for households and industries; whereas this highlights the need for swift and large-scale investments in structural energy savings and in expanding the deployment of renewable energy; whereas this also shows the need for Member States to support vulnerable and low-income households;

M.whereas certain Member States, in response to the energy crisis and high gas prices, have opted to continue or even expand the use of coal and nuclear power to secure stable, domestically sourced energy, which is harming the EU’s green energy transition;

N.whereas a diplomatic resolution to the war in Ukraine that upholds the territorial integrity of the country would provide a sustainable path to peace and stability in the region and reduce the economic and social burdens borne by EU citizens as a result of the Russian invasion and consequent EU sanctions;

O.whereas applying consistent standards in the sanctions policy, regardless of the geopolitical context, is essential to ensuring the EU’s credibility and commitment to international law and human rights;

P.whereas the use of old tankers for oil and LNG transport in the Baltic and Mediterranean regions and the risk of environmentally harmful accidents does not only concern Russian ‘shadow fleets’;

1.Reaffirms the EU’s condemnation of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and expresses solidarity with the Ukrainian people;

2.Emphasises the need for Member States to explore all diplomatic avenues to achieve a peaceful resolution of the conflict with full respect for the territorial integrity of Ukraine; calls for the EU to actively engage in diplomatic negotiations alongside other international actors;

3.Calls on the Commission and the Member States to strengthen monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to counter sanctions evasion tactics, such as ‘shadow fleets’; suggests that businesses aiding or benefiting from the activities of the ‘shadow fleet’ be sanctioned, while ensuring that any actions remain proportionate to minimise unintended economic and environmental consequences within the EU;

4.Urges the Commission to consider implementing targeted measures that:

(a)improve the identification and monitoring of vessels associated with sanctions evasion, specifically in the Baltic and Mediterranean regions;

(b)implement tailored port state controls and due diligence requirements for EU-based companies involved in maritime logistics, insurance, and financing, with a focus on preventing environmentally harmful practices and imposing fines on these companies that are effective, dissuasive and proportionate;

5.Emphasises the environmental risks posed by the ‘shadow fleet’, particularly the increased risk of oil spills, chemical leakage and pollution from unregulated vessels that operate without safety compliance and insurance, risking biodiversity, marine life, and the livelihoods of communities dependent on the Baltic and Mediterranean Seas;

6.Highlights that incidents of this nature will result in long-term environmental degradation, which could significantly affect the tourism, fishing and marine industries in the Member States bordering these seas;

7.Calls on the Commission to coordinate and assist national authorities in charge of monitoring the increased presence of the ‘shadow fleet’ and propose strategies to address environmental risks associated with the ‘shadow fleet’, including crisis preparedness strategies and alleviate economic pressures on EU citizens;

8.Urges the Member States to prevent ships that are uninsured, are carrying sanctioned cargo or do not fulfil environmental requirements from entering their territorial waters or using their ports;

9.Calls on the Member States to enforce strict regulatory measures at their ports and in their territorial waters, particularly in the Baltic region; urges the Member States, in the case of tankers potentially carrying Russian oil, to make full use of their right to have vessels guided by an on-board pilot from the relevant national authority to conduct checks on the origins of the cargo, ultimate ship ownership, insurance papers and compliance with safety standards and to ensure that vessels suspected of sanctions evasion and environmental non-compliance are flagged for investigation; calls, in this regard, on the Commission to assist national authorities in carrying out thorough on-site inspections;

10.Calls on the Member States to designate ports capable of handling sanctioned vessels carrying crude oil and LNG and to seize illegal cargo without compensation; calls for revenues from seized cargo to be placed in a fund designated for crisis preparedness and the mitigation of potential environmental impacts from incidents involving the ‘shadow fleet’;

11.Requests that the European Maritime Safety Agency enhance its capacity and resources to monitor and intercept suspicious vessels, while collaborating with environmental agencies and European security agencies to prevent ‘shadow fleet’ activities;

12.Recommends that the European Council establish an EU task force specifically focused on sanction enforcement and environmental impact mitigation, tasked with:

(a)engaging in diplomatic dialogue to coordinate efforts globally and prevent environmental harm from sanctions-evading vessels;

(b)strengthening information-sharing mechanisms with international partners on ‘shadow fleets’ and sanctions evasion;

(c)proposing responses to sanctions evasion that ensure the integrity of sanctions while mitigating adverse economic and environmental impacts on Member States;

13.Calls for increased cooperation with international organisations, such as the International Maritime Organization, to strengthen global environmental standards;

14.Encourages the Member States and the Commission to work with stakeholders, including in the environmental, shipping, energy, insurance, and financial sectors, to identify best practices for detecting and addressing sanctions evasion and mitigating environmental impacts in EU waters;

15.Stresses the need for transparency and accountability and requests that the Member States report to the Commission on enforcement actions, instances of sanctions evasion and the steps they have taken to address both economic and environmental impacts, particularly in the Baltic and Mediterranean regions;

16.Condemns the double standard in EU sanctions policy, whereby sanctions are rigorously imposed on certain countries for acts of aggression or occupation, yet not on others, such as Israel, despite its ethnic cleansing, genocide and international law violations in Palestine;

17.Calls for an immediate review of EU policies towards Israel, including the suspension of the association agreement, an embargo on arms delivery to Israel and sanctions in response to genocidal acts, violations of international law and the humanitarian situation in Gaza, as a necessary measure to stop the massacre and to demonstrate the EU’s commitment to equal standards in its foreign policy;

18.Strongly condemns the sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which has resulted in substantial environmental harm and has disrupted a key component of the EU’s energy supply infrastructure, threatening the EU’s energy security; calls for an international investigation into the Nord Stream sabotage;

19.Deplores the continued imports of Russian LNG and take notes of the increased dependence on US LNG as a measure to fill the energy gap caused by the loss of Russian gas supplies; stresses the high cost and environmental risks of LNG imports, which impact EU households and industries;

20.Stresses the urgent need for investments in renewable energy infrastructure and the acceleration of the EU’s energy transition to reduce dependence on volatile foreign energy markets and destructive fossil fuels;

21.Urges the Commission to enhance support for energy saving, diversification and green technology projects within the EU, including by providing financial assistance to Member States in order to strengthen their renewable energy infrastructure, reduce fossil fuel reliance and move towards a cleaner, independent energy system;

22.Calls on the Commission to develop clearer guidelines and more robust due diligence standards for EU companies and financial institutions to avoid unintended interactions with entities linked to ‘shadow fleets’;

23.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the European External Action Service, and the parliaments and governments of the Member States.