Since the beginning of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the export of many food products from Russia to Estonia has increased. The government in Tallinn emphasized that the ban on importing these products would not affect Estonia’s food security and called for an EU embargo on trade with Russia, as reported by ERR channel on Sunday.
Food products have been excluded from the EU sanctions packages due to food supply security. “It is unlikely that a broader consensus will be reached on a complete trade embargo, which Estonia is advocating for, therefore, possibilities for cooperation with neighboring countries are being discussed,” the channel noted.
“The sanctions packages include exceptions for everything related to food security, so no restrictions have been imposed on the import or export of food products. However, there are a few exceptions. There are, for example, bans on the import of various luxury goods, some seafood products, or caviar,” explained Külli Kurvits from the Estonian customs office.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna assessed that these products have nothing to do with food security. “As for food security, Estonia is doing well,” Tsahkna reminded.
Estonia has proposed a complete trade embargo in every sanctions package against Russia, but according to the Foreign Minister, consensus cannot be reached at the EU level on this matter.
“If we impose these sanctions unilaterally, they will not have any effect because the goods will reach Europe, for example, through some neighboring country and ultimately still end up in the Estonian market,” Tsahkna explained.
He added that solutions to the problem are being discussed at the local level, between the authorities of the Baltic and Nordic countries. Latvia has already imposed a ban on the import of many Russian food products.
Marko Mihkelson, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Estonian Parliament, announced that Tallinn may join Riga or cooperate with Warsaw and Vilnius to take the initiative on this issue. “Usually, matters proceed in such a way that if one country takes the initiative, there is hope that the others will follow suit,” Mihkelson noted.
“The sanctions packages include exceptions for everything related to food security, so no restrictions have been imposed on the import or export of food products. However, there are a few exceptions. There are, for example, bans on the import of various luxury goods, some seafood products, or caviar,” explained Külli Kurvits from the Estonian customs office.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna assessed that these products have nothing to do with food security. “As for food security, Estonia is doing well,” Tsahkna reminded.
Estonia has proposed a complete trade embargo in every sanctions package against Russia, but according to the Foreign Minister, consensus cannot be reached at the EU level on this matter.
“If we impose these sanctions unilaterally, they will not have any effect because the goods will reach Europe, for example, through some neighboring country and ultimately still end up in the Estonian market,” Tsahkna explained.
He added that solutions to the problem are being discussed at the local level, between the authorities of the Baltic and Nordic countries. Latvia has already imposed a ban on the import of many Russian food products.
Marko Mihkelson, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Estonian Parliament, announced that Tallinn may join Riga or cooperate with Warsaw and Vilnius to take the initiative on this issue. “Usually, matters proceed in such a way that if one country takes the initiative, there is hope that the others will follow suit,” Mihkelson noted.
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