MOSCOW, March 3 (RAPSI) – A bill prohibiting circulation of certain goods coming from member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) has been submitted to the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, according to a statement on the Kremlin's website.

The bill introduced by the Finance Ministry authorizes the government to issue a ban on circulation of goods if customs duties during their importation were paid in accordance with tariff rates different from those set within the EAEU.

Amendments are aimed to enhance control over goods circulation in Russia and provide concurrent conditions for sales turnover despite the ways of the goods’ delivery, deal versions and other factors, according to the bill’s authors.

In the spring of 2014, the EU, the United States and Canada slapped the first sanctions on Russian companies, banks and politicians, freezing their bank accounts, denying them entry and refusing to buy Russian products. The move was linked to the conflict in Ukraine. In June 2015, the EU foreign ministers approved amendments to the EU decision on sectoral restrictions, thereby extending economic sanctions against Russia until January 31, 2016.  In 2016, the penalties were expanded and extended yet again.

In response, in August 2014, the Russian government introduced a year-long ban on agricultural imports from the EU, the US, Canada and several other countries that imposed sanctions on Russia. Blacklisted food imports included meat, fish, dairy, fruit and vegetables. In late June 2015, Russia extended the embargo until August 5, 2016.  Last June, the ban was extended yet again until December 31, 2017.