Filenews 24 March 2022
The need to include the Russian state-owned atomic energy company "Rosatom" and its subsidiaries in the EU sanctions list was raised by MEP Costas Mavrides (DIKO - S&D) to the President of the European Council S. Michel and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/ Vice-President Z. Borrell, in view of the European Council on 24-25 March where a possible new package of sanctions will be discussed in response to the Russian attack.
Specifically, Mr. Mavridis, in a letter he sent, notes that "Rosatom", which specializes in nuclear energy and uranium supply, was founded and controlled by the Kremlin and is an important source of revenue for the country. Moreover, following the Russian invasion, ukrainian nuclear plants at Chernobyl and Zaporizia are now under Kremlin control. Mr Mavridis asks for an explanation as to why Rosatom and its subsidiaries are not already included in the EU sanctions list, since the EU's aim is to stop the inhumane war and the sanctions are aimed at significantly damaging the economic and logistical basis on which the invasion of Ukraine is based. Mr. Mavridis recalled the European Parliament's call to member states in its recent resolution on Russia's invasion of Ukraine "to stop all cooperation with Russia in the nuclear field, in particular cooperation with Rosatom and its subsidiaries, including cooperation with Russia within the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the abolition or withdrawal of the operating licenses of all Rosatom subsidiaries". It is noted that "Rosatom" is one of the largest companies in the world in the nuclear energy industry and among the projects it is building is the nuclear power plant in Akuyu, Turkey (€20 billion).
The EU High Representative is responsible for preparing the sanctions list on the basis of a political decision of the European Council, which then needs to be adopted by the member states by unanimity.
