Non-tariff barriers to trade

EU foreign ministers are discussing a sixth package of sanctions against Russia in Luxembourg today, including an embargo on oil and gas imports. Bulgaria is represented by Foreign Minister Teodora Genchovska.

In a resolution passed by 513 votes to 22, with 19 abstentions, MEPs called for additional sanctions, including an "immediate full embargo on imports of oil, coal, nuclear fuel and gas originating in Russia".

Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Mass rejected on Monday Greece's request to impose an arms embargo on Turkey amid the ongoing tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey will not abandon its rights and interests in the eastern Mediterranean because of possible European Union sanctions or criticism, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday.

The European Union has imposed additional sanctions in Syria against eight people and two companies, the European Council announced on Monday.

The Council noted that eight "prominent" Syrian businessmen were added to the sanctions list as their "activities directly benefited the Assad regime, including through projects on land alienated by people displaced by the conflict ".

Turkey has warned that US moves to lift a decades-old arms embargo on Cyprus would undermine efforts to reunite the Mediterranean island and create a "dangerous escalation."
The US Congress voted Tuesday to end the embargo on the island, which was imposed in 1987 with the aim of preventing an arms buildup that would obstruct diplomatic efforts at a peace settlement.

Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio confirmed on Tuesday that Rome will ban arms export to Turkey, after Ankara launched a military attack against Kurdish fighters in the northern part of Syria.
"The solution to the Syria crisis must be diplomatic not military," he told parliament.

The European Union member states united on Oct. 14 to condemn Turkey's offensive in Syria but stopped short of imposing an arms embargo, while opening the way to sanctions over Ankara's controversial drilling off Cyprus.

During his two-day official visit to Cuba, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on May 18 said his country will continue to support to end sanctions and embargo on the Latin American nation.

Speaking to Politika daily, Ljajic said the existence of the 2006 trade deal was in doubt after Pristina's decision to introduce taxes and non-tariff barriers for Serbian goods.