Lithuania to toughen control over transit of sanctioned cargoes to third countries via Russia, Belarus from Dec 18

KALININGRAD. Dec 11 (Interfax) - The Lithuanian customs service will toughen control over the export and re-export or transit of sanctioned cargoes to third countries via Russia and Belarus, the service's press service said.

Having analyzed the trends in the trade in sanctioned goods with third countries, the Lithuanian customs service is toughening control over cargoes exported to these states via Russia and Belarus or transit via these countries. This is being done to rule out the risk of sanctioned goods reaching the internal markets of Russia and Belarus, it said.

"From December 18, the Lithuanian customs service will take additional measures associated with the export (re-export) or transit of sanctioned goods. Manufacturers' declarations will become mandatory in the export (re-export) or transit of sanctioned goods. If a manufacturer's declaration is not submitted to the Lithuanian customs service, the sanctioned [cargoes] will not be released from the European Union," the press service said.

The Lithuanian customs service believes that filing a manufacturer's declaration when exporting or re-exporting or during the transit of sanctioned goods will not create considerable obstacles to business. The customs service has required such documents for the export and re-export of certain types of sanctioned goods since July 2023.

According to earlier reports, in 2023 the Lithuanian customs service seriously toughened control over cargoes heading in the direction of Russia and Belarus due to the sanctions policies of the European Union imposed on Moscow and Minsk. In the meantime, practically all trucks at the Lithuanian-Russian and Lithuanian-Belarusian border are scanned with x-ray equipment.