The new regulations ban buying, importing or transferring that energy source and other solid fossil fuels to the EU if they come from or are exported from Russia.

The annual amount of such transactions is around 800 billion euros, according to estimates by the European Union.

The new sanctions also include the closure of EU ports for vessels under Russian flag, and of EU roads for Russian carriers, with exemptions for some items such as agri-food, medical, pharmaceutical, energy or humanitarian cargoes.

Bans worth 5.5 billion euros on the IT sector, the import of wood, cement, fertilizers, seafood and liquors have also been imposed.

In addition, the regulations bar Russian companies from participating in public procurement within EU member states, and prohibit financial support to Russian public organizations.

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