Against the background of the atrocities in Butscha, BDI President Russwurm finds the Europe-wide embargo on Russian cabbage “more than understandable”.
German industry supports the sanctions course of the federal government and the European Union against Russia.
“The atrocities in Butscha call for a decisive, unequivocal response from the West,” said Siegfried Russwurm, President of the Federation of German Industries, the German Press Agency in Berlin. “A complete, pan-European embargo on Russian coal goes well beyond the reduction in Russian coal deliveries that companies have already implemented. The implementation is not easy and has its price, but the decision is more than understandable against the background of the escalation of violence.”
Coal import ban passed
The EU Commission had presented a proposal for a comprehensive package of new Russia sanctions. According to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, it includes a ban on the import of coal from Russia, a port ban on Russian ships and other trade restrictions. The 27 EU countries must now decide whether the sanctions will be imposed as proposed.
When it comes to the import ban on Russian coal, it is unclear when it will come into effect. The Federal Ministry of Economics had declared that Germany could be independent of Russian coal by autumn. Industry President Russwurm said with a view to Russia: “Targeted and sustainable sanctions are needed that punish the aggressor more severely than us Europeans. This applies to coal: it can be replaced on the world market by deliveries from other countries and, in principle, brought to the users with the existing transport infrastructure.»
Overcome logistical challenges
The federal government must now, together with its European partners, ensure that the logistical challenges resulting from the decision not to import coal from Russia can be met without causing economic damage.
The situation with gas is completely different, according to Russwurm: “A complete failure of Russian gas supplies, which other suppliers cannot replace in the short term, would be a huge stress test for the EU – with unforeseeable consequences for security of supply, growth, employment and our political ability to act.” The federal government also rejects an embargo on Russian gas imports and warns of serious damage to the economy.
Source: Stern
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
