Autonomous Sanctions (Import Sanctioned Goods—Russia) Amendment (No.1) Designation 2022

Registered 14 January 2023 "Autonomous sanctions are measures not involving the use of armed force which the Australian Government imposes and implements as a matter of foreign policy. They are a discretionary tool which the Government can apply, alone or with like-minded countries where appropriate, to address egregious situations of international concern. The Autonomous Sanctions Regulations 2011 (the Regulations) make provision for, amongst other things, the designation of goods as ‘import sanctioned goods’ for a country or part of a country. The import, purchase or transport of ‘import sanctioned goods’ is prohibited under regulation 12A of the Regulations. The purpose of the Autonomous Sanctions (Import Sanctioned Goods—Russia) Amendment (No.1) Designation 2022 (the Amendment Designation) is to expand, under subregulation 4A(3) of the Regulations, what goods are ‘import sanctioned goods’ for Russia to include gold. Gold is defined under tariff code 7108 as ‘Gold (including gold plated with platinum) in unwrought or in semi-manufactured forms, or in powder form’(as specified in Chapter 71 of the Combined Australian Customs Tariff Nomenclature and Statistical Classification) if the gold was exported from Russia after the commencement of the Amendment Designation. The prohibition on the import of these products is in response to Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine. Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine presents a serious threat to the international rules-based order which underpins global security. Gold has been Russia’s top export after energy in recent years, representing five per cent of global gold exports in 2020. Coordinated action to restrict trade in Russian gold is necessary to further curtail Russia’s ability to fund its invasion of Ukraine. "