Sanctions Tracker – Update on Australia’s response to the situation in Ukraine (3 November 2022)

We previously discussed the Ukraine-related sanctions measures in Australia on February 23, February 25, March 1, March 15, March 18, March 25 and 20 May. Since then, Australia has extended its sanctions to designate additional individuals and prohibit the import of gold.

Export ban on gold

On 29 September 2022, Australia designated gold as an “import sanctioned good” for Russia. ^[1] Gold is defined under the instrument as “[g]old (including gold plated with platinum) in unwrought or in semi-manufactured forms, or in powder form” (or as described in Tariff code 7108).  The effect of this designation is that from 30 September 2022, no Australian citizen, entity or entity owned or controlled by an Australian citizen or entity can import, purchase or transport gold from or originating in Russia.

Further designated persons

In recent months, Australia has designated a number of additional entities and individuals under its Autonomous sanctions regime, including:

• On 28 June 2022, Australia designated 16 individuals being satisfied that the persons are either “persons that have been engaging in an activity or performing a function that is of economic or strategic significance to Russia, or are current or former Ministers or senior officials of the Russian Government.”^[2]
• On 16 September 2022, Australia re-designated one individual, Alexander Grigoryevich Abramov, for his “key role in Evraz plc, a UK-based holding company that owns or controls several Russian entities with operations and interests in the steel and coal sectors in Russia” and for providing support to the Russian Government to further its “economic and strategic priorities”.^[3]
• On 29 September 2022, Australia designated:^[4]
  • 19 persons being satisfied they are “acting as ‘officials’ in faux proxy administrations in areas of Ukraine that are, or have been, illegally occupied, or supported by, Russian armed forces”^[5]; and
  • nine persons on the basis they are “a current or former Minister or senior official of the Russian Government”.^[6]

The updated Consolidated List can be found on the website of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade here.

^{[1] Autonomous Sanctions (import sanctioned goods - Russia) Amendment (No 1) 2022}

^{[2] Autonomous Sanctions (Designated Persons and Entities and Declared Persons—Russia and Ukraine) Amendment (No. 18) Instrument 2022; Autonomous Sanctions (Designated Persons and Entities and Declared Persons—Russia and Ukraine) Amendment (No. 18) Instrument 2022 – Explanatory Statement}

^{[3] Autonomous Sanctions (Designated Persons and Entities and Declared Persons—Russia and Ukraine) Amendment (No. 20) Instrument 2022; Autonomous Sanctions (Designated Persons and Entities and Declared Persons—Russia and Ukraine) Amendment (No. 20) Instrument 2022 – Explanatory Statement}

^{[4] Autonomous Sanctions (Designated Persons and Entities and Declared Persons—Russia and Ukraine) Amendment (No. 21) Instrument 2022}

^{[5] Autonomous Sanctions (Designated Persons and Entities and Declared Persons—Russia and Ukraine) Amendment (No. 21) Instrument 2022 – Explanatory Statement}

^{[6] Autonomous Sanctions (Designated Persons and Entities and Declared Persons—Russia and Ukraine) Amendment (No. 21) Instrument 2022 – Explanatory Statement}