The European Union has introduced a requirement for fuel importers into the bloc to prove that their fuels are not made from Russian crude, according to a document published on Thursday.
The guidance details the EU’s upcoming ban on imports of fuels refined from Russian crude, part of its 18th sanctions package against Russia over its war in Ukraine. The ban will take effect on January 21 next year.
Operators will be expected to provide EU customs with “appropriate evidence” showing the country where the crude oil used to refine the fuel was extracted, with some key exceptions noted. The EU advises importers to include contractual clauses with suppliers guaranteeing non-Russian crude oil origin, allowing liability to shift to the supplier if it is later found that Russian oil was used.
The EU said operators should “exercise enhanced due diligence” with imports from Turkey, India, and China — the top importers of Russian crude. Buyers should also take caution when importing from countries “known for mixing crude of various origins.”
Imports from refineries that run Russian and non-Russian crudes on separate production trains must show evidence, such as a refinery attestation, that the product came from the non-Russian train.
For refineries processing Russian and non-Russian crude together, evidence must be provided showing that no Russian crude was received or processed 60 days prior to the bill of lading date. Imports from refineries that claim to use Russian oil for domestic demand and non-Russian oil for exports on an aggregate basis will not be permitted.
The ban will not apply to imports from Canada, the UK, the US, Norway, and Switzerland. Therefore, no evidence of crude oil origin is required for fuel imports from those countries. Fuel imports from countries that were net exporters of crude in the previous calendar year are also exempt but may still face scrutiny.
Net-exporter status can be challenged if a country imports “significant and disproportionate” volumes of Russian crude or is suspected of acting as an export hub for Russian or Russian-derived fuels.
The EU has also made an exception for vessels bunkering marine fuels refined from Russian crude, provided the fuel is used for burning during the voyage and not carried as cargo.
A similar exemption applies to aircraft burning jet fuel on flights from a third country to an EU state.
The ban applies only to countries importing into the EU and does not cover third countries, including those importing via EU waters.
(Reporting by Robert Harvey in London and Julia Payne in Brussels; Editing by Nia Williams)
