On 8 April, the Council adopted a fifth round of sanctions against Russia, banning the purchase, import or transfer of coal from August. Access to the EU for Russian-flagged ships and Russian and Belarusian road hauliers is suspended. Restrictive measures apply to Russian imports of wood, fertilisers or alcohol, and to Russian exports in the field of industry and technology, including semi-conductors. The Council has banned the transactions of four major Russian banks and extended the number of persons and companies targeted by sanctions. The Freezing and Confiscation Task Force, which is responsible for coordinating the implementation of EU sanctions against Russian and Belarusian oligarchs, reported €29.5 billion in frozen assets, including boats, helicopters, real estate and works of art...
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