EU permanent representatives agree on 9th sanctions package

BRUSSELS/WARSAW, Dec 16 (PRIME) -- The E.U. permanent representatives agreed on a ninth package of sanctions against Russia late on Thursday and are to complete the procedure on Friday, a spokesperson for the Czech Republic's representation said.

After that, the sanctions are to be published in the official journal of the union and enter in force.

Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that the blacklist of Russians will include 200 more people, and sanctions would ban supplies of dual-use goods.

He added that Poland and Lithuania suggested prolongation of the sanctions once per year instead of once every six months.

A source in Brussels told PRIME that none of the E.U. member-states made any proposals on the tenth package of sanctions. "Next packages may appear in the future, but they will most likely close the loopholes in the earlier sanctions packages and ensure no more loopholes," the official said.

End