European Council adopts new restrictive measures on services to Crimea and Sevastopol; ten European countries align with decision to limit Russia's illegal occupation

March 18, 2025 (press release) –

On 24 February 2025, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2024/397¹.

Decision (CFSP) 2025/397  imposes restrictions on services that facilitate Russia’s illegal occupation of Crimea and Sevastopol and enable economic actors to integrate into Russia’s legal and financial system, primarily on the provision to Crimea and Sevastopol of accounting, auditing, bookkeeping, tax consulting, business and management consulting, public relations, construction, architectural, engineering, legal advisory, IT consultancy, market research and public opinion polling, technical testing and analysis and advertising services. It further prohibits the provision to Crimea and Sevastopol of certain software for the management of enterprises and software for industrial design and manufacture, and of related intellectual property rights or trade secrets. In addition, the Decision prohibits the supply to Crimea and Sevastopol of banknotes denominated in any official currency of a Member State and it also restricts the export to Crimea and Sevastopol of certain goods and technology that are also restricted by Decision 2014/512/CFSP.

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine align themselves with this Council Decision.

They will ensure that their national policies conform to this Council Decision.
The European Union takes note of this commitment and welcomes it.

¹ OJ L, 2025/397, 24.02.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/397/oj

This website is the official website of the Council of the EU and the European Council. It is managed by the General Secretariat of the Council, the body of staff responsible for assisting the Council of the EU and the European Council.