Estonia's imports from Russia have fallen more than tenfold since before the war, but food products that are not subject to sanctions are still brought in, ERR News reports. Apart from certain chemicals and rare earth metals supplied to Silmet, for which Estonia sought special permission from the European Union, food now accounts for most of these imports.
In August, imports of Russian food and animal products came to around EUR 1 million, while in some months last year the figure reached EUR 3 million. Ursula Riimaa, who is in charge of customs as a deputy head of the Tax and Customs Board, said that before the war Estonia imported goods worth about EUR 2.2 billion from Russia, and that in the first eight months of this year imports were around EUR 40 million. She explained the monthly swings by the size of shipments arriving by sea.
Kadri Elias-Hindoalla, director general of the sanctions department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said EU sanctions have mainly targeted the sectors that fund Russia's war, such as petroleum products and mineral resources. "Food products and medical supplies have been the two main categories of goods that have largely remained exempt from sanctions so far."
Some food products classified as luxury goods are restricted, she added.
According to ERR News, EU exports to Russia are 60 percent below pre-war levels and imports 90 percent lower. Each new sanctions package adds restrictions, and a restriction on imports of liquefied natural gas is set to take effect next year.
Source: ERR News, . The text above is our own summary; the words in quotation marks are the source's.
What this means for an Estonian entrepreneur
For an Estonian company that imports or exports goods, the article is a reminder that what may be traded with Russia changes with each sanctions package, and that even some food products are restricted as luxury goods. A company trading goods across the EU border should check each product against the current sanctions lists before it signs a contract.
We apply for the EORI number that an Estonian company uses with customs when it imports or exports goods. EORI number