Entry ban on Belarusian-registered cars to come into effect in Latvia on Tuesday

RIGA - As of this Tuesday, July 16, persons traveling in Belarusian-registered passenger cars will be banned from entering the European Union (EU) via the Latvian-Belarusian and Latvian-Russian border checkpoints, LETA was told at the State Revenue Service. 

In order to reduce the risks of sanctions evasion, the EU, by approving the eighth sanctions package against Belarus, has largely aligned the sanctions imposed on Belarus with those imposed on Russia, the Revenue Service indicated.

Under the sanctions regime, imports from Belarus of goods that allow Belarus to diversify its sources of revenue, thereby enabling it to engage in Russian aggression against Ukraine, are prohibited if these goods originate in Belarus or are exported from Belarus. Cars are also included in the annex to the sanctions list.

The entry ban will not apply to vehicles intended for use by diplomatic and consular missions, including delegations, embassies and missions.

Other persons traveling in vehicles registered in Belarus will not be able to enter the EU by crossing the Latvian border. A person with a vehicle registered in Belarus will have to return from the border crossing point to the country from which they intended to enter Latvia.

If the person refuses to comply with the customs authorities' instructions, including to return to Belarus or Russia, authorities may decide on the confiscation of their vehicle.

Persons will be allowed to return from the EU to Belarus in passenger cars registered in Belarus, provided that they are not declared as goods and are used only as a means of transport.