Finland bans entry for cars with Russian license plates

Finnish authorities have decided to introduce a ban on the entry of cars with Russian license plates into the country. The ban, announced by Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, will come into force at midnight on September 15.

An exception will be made for EU citizens residing permanently in Russia, as well as for their family members.

Cars with Russian license plates that are already in Finland will have to leave the country within six months, by March 16, 2024. What will happen to the cars that remain in Finland after March 16 has not yet been specified.

On September 8, the European Commission issued clarifications on how EU countries should apply the ban on imports of sanctioned goods from Russia, including cars, personal clothing, and hygiene items. The European Commission then clarified that customs authorities should focus on imported cars, while for other items, including clothing, the ban should be applied “in a proportionate and reasonable manner.”

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have found that the European Commission’s recommendations apply to temporary imports as well as imports of cars for personal use from Russia, and have banned cars with Russian plates from entering through their borders.

Apart from Finland, only Latvia has announced what’s set to happen to cars with Russian plates that have already entered the country. The authorities have given assurances that such cars won’t be confiscated.