Report: Imports of NLMK products hinder EU sanction talks

MOSCOW, Dec 11 (PRIME) -- The imports of metal products from Russian steelmaker Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) have become a sticking point in the E.U.’s discussions of the 12th round of anti-Russian sanctions, newswire Politico reported on Monday.

The E.U. banned imports of steel and iron products from Russia in 2022, and the 11th round of sanctions in June 2023 obliged suppliers from the third countries to prove that their products did not come from Russian resources.

But the Czech Republic in November asked the E.U. to prolong an exemption from the sanctions so that it continues imports of NLMK products because the country had failed to find alternative sources of steel for its automotive industry.

A diplomatic source told Politico that the sanction negotiations were going “in the right direction,” but another diplomat told the newswire that a discussion whether to grant a longer exemption period for imports from NLMK had become a sticking point. Nevertheless, the problem should be solved soon, the second diplomat said.

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