At midnight on September 16, a ban on the entry of cars with Russian registration will come into force in Finland.
The Finnish publication Yle writes about it.
Now only an EU citizen permanently residing in the Russian Federation, his family members and diplomats can import a car with Russian license plates into Finland.
Passenger cars with Russian number plates must leave the territory of Finland within six months, i.e. by March 16, 2024.
- Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have banned cars with Russian license plates from entering their territory, following the recommendations of the European Commission.
- On September 8, the European Commission extended sanctions against Russia and added new restrictions to them. The document states that if Russians enter the country on a vehicle with a Russian license plate, it will be an illegal import according to EU regulations. Therefore, countries will have the right to confiscate cars, smartphones, other equipment and valuables from those who violate this ban. Later, the European Commission eased the restrictions: cars remain banned, but customs officials must act "proportionately and sensibly" regarding the seizure of personal items that "cause insignificant concern from the point of view of evasion of sanctions." The amended text no longer referred to phones, laptops, etc.