Belarus

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The sanctions against Russia were accompanied by sanctions against Belarus, which supported the invasion. Switzerland, which had applied sanctions against Belarus since 2006 and tightened them in 2021 in response to the repression after the presidential elections of 2020, extended them in 2022.¹ Belarus is one of the largest producers of potash in the world. Its state producer Belaruskali had sold its products for years through a trading company linked to the Russian producer Uralkali, and later through its own marketing company. Swiss-based traders had been involved in parts of this trade until the sanctions against Belaruskali and the potash exports ended most of that involvement. Fertilisers were later exempted in part for reasons of food security, as they were for Russia.

Notes

SECO, "Massnahmen gegenüber Belarus", seco.admin.ch: Ordinance on Measures against Belarus, SR 946.231.116.9; first measures adopted on 28 June 2006 in line with the EU measures of 18 May 2006; significant revision on 11 August 2021 because of the ongoing repression against civil society and the opposition; complete revision on 16 March 2022 in connection with Belarusian support for the Russian military invasion of Ukraine. ↩

For general information only. This article does not constitute legal or tax advice, does not replace advice on an individual case and creates no lawyer-client relationship. It reflects the legal position as of October 2026.

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I am a Swiss attorney-at-law and also admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong and in England & Wales, with almost 25 years of experience.

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