EU Drops Proposed Sanctions on Russian Fish Imports

EU ambassadors have removed proposed restrictions on Russian fish imports from the latest sanctions package, bowing to resistance from Germany, Poland, and Portugal. The European Commission had proposed a full ban on key species like cod and phased restrictions on other fish products, which would have been a first since the 2022 caviar ban. However, concerns over economic impact on processing industries heavily reliant on Russian Alaska pollock (Germany, Poland) and cod for traditional dishes like bacalhau (Portugal) led to the removal. The decision was welcomed by EU fish processors and traders as protecting essential food supply chains. The watered-down package, which still targets Russian LNG, requires formal approval by all 27 member states. Critics note that Russian fish can still enter the EU duty-free via processing in Norway, and calls for higher tariffs have not been addressed.