EU sanctions against Belarus

Human rights abuses in Belarus

The EU has adopted massive sanctions in light of the fraudulent presidential elections that took place in August 2020 and the brutal crackdown by Belarusian security forces on the peaceful protesters, opposition members and journalists.

The purpose of these sanctions is to put pressure on the Belarusian political leadership to prevent further violence and repression, release all political prisoners and other unjustly detained people, and initiate a genuine and inclusive national dialogue with society at large.

Sanctions target individuals and entities responsible for repression and intimidation against peaceful protestors, opposition members and journalists, as well as for misconduct of the electoral process, torture of detainees and other human rights abuses.

These measures were last extended until 28 February 2027. Currently 310 individuals and 46 entities are sanctioned under this regime.

The list of individuals sanctioned includes:

Aliaksandr Lukashenka, President of Belarus
Viktor Lukashenka, national security advisor and son of President Lukashenka
regime propagandists and high-ranking officials
the chair of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus
the prosecutor general and other members of the judiciary
business people benefiting from and supporting the Belarusian regime
heads and deputy heads of various correctional institutions
those involved in the forced and unlawful landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk

The list of entities sanctioned includes:

propaganda outlets, the state television and radio broadcasting company Belteleradio
companies benefiting from and supporting the Belarusian regime, including in the military, technology and agriculture sector
companies facilitating the circumvention of sanctions
transport companies, tour operators and hotels that have supported illegal border crossings through Belarus to the EU
the Supreme Court
the State Control Committee
the Central Election Commission
the President Property Management Directorate

The sanctions include:

Travel ban

Targeted persons cannot enter or transit through EU territories.

Asset freeze

All the assets of sanctioned individuals and entities in the EU are frozen.

Unavailability of funds

EU persons and entities cannot make any funds available to those sanctioned.

Between 2021 and 2025, the Council broadened the scope of the sanctions regime against Belarus to include individuals and entities involved in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and in hybrid attacks against EU countries.

In addition, on 4 June 2021, the EU imposed a ban on the overflight of EU airspace and on access to EU airports by Belarusian carriers of all kinds, following the unlawful forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk on 23 May 2021.

Military support for Russia

In response to the continued support provided by the Lukashenka regime to Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, the EU has adopted a number of individual and economic measures, mostly under the Belarus sanctions regime. These measures mirror the sanctions adopted against Russia.

Individual measures target those supporting Russia's war against Ukraine and include travel bans for individuals, an asset freeze for individuals and entities and a prohibition on making funds or economic resources available to those listed.

Economic sanctions target Belarus' financial, trade, energy, transport, technology and defence sectors, as well as services provided to Russia or to Russian nationals. They largely mirror the measures adopted against Russia and include:

Finance

a ban on transactions with the Central Bank of Belarus
a ban on transactions with another four Belarusian banks
a ban on the provision of euro-denominated banknotes to Belarus
limits on financial inflows from Belarus to the EU

Defence and technology

a ban on the export of firearms, ammunition and dual-use goods to Belarus
a ban on the export of defence goods and technology to Belarus
an arms embargo

Transport

a ban on the export of aviation, maritime and space goods and technology to Belarus
a ban on Belarusian road transport operators entering the EU
a ban on the transportation of goods by road within EU territory

A blank paper, a pen and a smartphone with the app of the calculator open.

Services

a ban on providing accounting, auditing and tax consulting services
a ban on providing architectural, engineering, IT and legal advisory services
a ban on providing advertising, market research and public opinion services

A piece of copper foil, a diamond and some pieces of iron.

Trade in raw materials and other goods

a ban on the export of luxury goods to Belarus
a ban on the import of gold, diamonds, helium, coal and mineral products from Belarus
a ban on the import of potash, wood, cement, iron, steel and rubber products from Belarus

Anti-circumvention measures

a requirement for EU exporters to insert the so-called 'no-Belarus clause' into their contracts
a requirement for EU operators to implement due diligence mechanisms
a ban on the transit of dual-use goods and technologies via the territory of Belarus

Tariffs on agricultural products and fertilisers

On 12 June 2025, the Council adopted a regulation that introduces tariffs on agricultural products and fertilisers from Russia and Belarus that were not yet subject to extra customs duties.

The tariffs are expected to reduce Russian and Belarusian export revenues, thereby limiting Belarus' ability to support Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. They have applied since 1 July 2025.

Trade : EU adopts new tariffs on Russian and Belarusian agricultural goods and fertilisers (press release, 12 June 2025)

Sanctions in response to Belarus' hybrid attacks

To respond to Belarus hybrid campaign against the EU, the Council widened the scope of sanctions against Belarus in light of the instrumentalisation of migrants (November 2021) and of the airspace violations in Lithuania and other hybrid activities affecting EU member states (in December 2025).

The criteria added allow the EU to impose sanctions against those responsible for or involved in:

instrumentalisation of migrants for political purposes
foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI)
actions targeted at the functioning of democratic institutions, economic activities or services of public interest of the EU and its member states
actions facilitating or enabling disruption of the functioning of critical infrastructure

Those sanctioned are subject to a travel ban and an asset freeze. EU citizens and companies are prohibited from making funds available to them.

Other sanctions against Belarus

In parallel to the sanctions linked to the August 2020 elections, there are also other types of sanctions in place against Belarus.

In 2004, the EU adopted restrictive measures in connection with the unresolved disappearances of two opposition politicians, one businessman and one journalist in 1999 and in 2000. These measures included an asset freeze and a travel ban against four people.

The Council later adopted further restrictive measures against individuals and entities involved in the violation of international electoral standards and international human rights law, as well as in the crackdown on civil society and democratic opposition.

An arms embargo was introduced in 2011.

In February 2016, the Council decided to lift the existing sanctions against the individuals and entities involved in human rights violations, while maintaining the arms embargo and the sanctions against the four people involved in the unresolved disappearances.

This decision was taken while acknowledging the steps taken by Belarus that had contributed to improving EU-Belarus relations, in particular the release of all political prisoners.

However, this period of improved relations was halted following the August 2020 presidential elections and the EU imposed a series of new sanctions against Belarus.