EU may delay sanctions against Chinese chip supplier for Russia - Reuters
Illustrative photo: the EU has postponed sanctions for 9 months (Getty Images)
The European Commission has proposed a nine-month delay in sanctions against the Chinese semiconductor manufacturer Yangzhou Yangjie Electronic. The company was sanctioned for supplying chips used in Russian weapons, but without a transition period, EU automakers would be left without critical components, according to Reuters.
Yangzhou Yangjie Electronic will remain on the EU sanctions list, but companies will be allowed to continue working with it for nine months in order to find alternative suppliers and avoid "severe disruption" in production.
For the proposal to take effect, it requires unanimous approval from all EU member states.
A European Commission spokesperson explained why the company was sanctioned in the first place, "Their products have been found in drones and glide bombs used by Russian troops in Ukraine."
"The purpose of our sanctions is to change behaviour, and we strive to find a balance to make sure they will not produce a significant impact in the EU."
The issue arose because European car manufacturers shifted to Yangzhou Yangjie Electronic after previous Chinese microchip suppliers were added to sanctions lists in earlier packages.
On April 23, the EU formally approved its 20th sanctions package against Russia — one of the largest in recent years.
The list included 36 energy-sector entities, 46 shadow fleet vessels, as well as Chinese companies supplying dual-use goods for Russia’s military-industrial complex.
According to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, more than 90% of sanctioned technologies reach Russia via China — primarily semiconductors and electronics used in weapons production.
