On Thursday 20 November, the Foreign Affairs Council discussed ways of stepping up the fight against the Russian ‘shadow fleet’.
“Our aim is to conclude pre-boarding agreements with the flag States (of the vessels in the ‘shadow fleet’). This is a legal way for one party to board and search a vessel from another country”, explained High Representative of the Union Kaja Kallas after the Council meeting.
Mrs Kallas said that the EU was raising awareness in third countries and working with its partners on this issue. “We also need to coordinate the measures that can be used to slow down these ships, whether for environmental or insurance reasons”, she added.
The High Representative announced that the EU would work towards the adoption of additional sanctions against the fleet, “both the vessels as well as enablers”. “The idea is to apply sanctions against the ‘shadow fleet’ more gradually and not just when sanctions packages are issued”, said Mrs Kallas.
The Ministers’ discussions were based on non-papers from the EEAS and Member States, including France. The report, obtained by Agence Europe, proposes measures to fill the gaps exploited by the ‘shadow fleet’.
For example, Paris wants to move from a price-based model (with the oil price cap) to a volume-based approach; the adoption of a “coordinated and far-reaching” approach to the ecosystem supporting the fleet in third countries; and measures on tonnage. On this point, the aim would be to encourage the owners of blacklisted ships to return to legitimate commercial channels and to impose stricter controls and due diligence requirements on the sale of ships.
France is also calling for a more proactive approach against ships in the fleet. “We need to strengthen and centralise information sharing and targeting so that we can act, at national level or in partnership, to board, inspect and, where necessary, detain suspect vessels where there is a sound legal basis”, the document adds.
Finally, Paris suggests enhanced diplomatic coordination with all the stakeholders concerned, including a global European strategy against the fleet. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant with Solenn Paulic)