The sanctions against the Russian Federation are less effective because of the difference in the approaches of the EU countries - the European Court of Auditors.
EU trade sanctions against Russia remain less effective than they could be due to legal ambiguities and differences in their implementation among EU countries. This is the conclusion reached by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) in a recent report.
EU sanctions and customs legislation contains vague and ambiguous language, which is interpreted differently by national authorities. This creates the risk of so-called forum shopping (selection of the most favored jurisdiction), when companies transact through those EU member states where controls are less stringent.
The auditors recommend clarifying the regulatory framework, strengthening the monitoring of compliance with sanctions, improving the exchange of information between member states and developing more effective monitoring mechanisms.
The EU would still be Russia's third-largest trading partner in 2025, according to accountants.