EU court backs seizure of cars imported from Russia

The European Union’s Court of Justice has ruled that EU member states are entitled to confiscate cars imported from Russia if the imports violate current EU sanctions.

The court clarified that the sanctions ban applies to all goods covered by the Combined Nomenclature codes listed in Annex XXI of the EU sanctions framework. The judges stated that authorities do not need to assess, on a case-by-case basis, whether a specific import transaction generates significant revenue for the Russian Federation, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media. 

The ruling stems from a legal dispute in Germany involving a private individual and customs authorities in Düsseldorf. A Russian citizen had imported a used car from Russia and sought to register it within the European Union. German customs officials seized the vehicle, arguing that the import breached EU sanctions.

The Düsseldorf Financial Court referred the case to the EU Court of Justice, requesting clarification on whether vehicles imported by private individuals in violation of sanctions could be legally registered in the EU. The EU court’s decision confirmed that such imports fall under the sanctions regime and may be subject to confiscation.

By Sabina Mammadli