FRENCH OPPOSITION TO RUSSIAN SANCTIONS

Sanctions against Russia are contrary to the fundamental interests of Franco-Russian relations and have only for consequence the deterioration of the economic relations linking France and Russia.

Today the sanctions are totally inefficient to resolve international crisis and are dangerous for French interests.

Economic relations between France and Russia are very strong and have deepened in recent years. France has become the third foreign investor in Russia. About 1,200  French are present in Russia, and between 6,000 and 7,000 French firms export to Russia representing thousands jobs. French investments in Russia amount to 12 billions euros annually in diverse sectors: from automobile to high technology, agrofood industry, banking sector, public works or distribution.

European economic sanctions taken against Russia harm relations. Indeed, according to an article of the European Parliament Research Department published in October 2015, in 2014 exports of goods from the EU to Russia registered a 12.1% decline while imports from Russia declined by 13.5%.

The bilateral partnership between France and Russia that developed considerably in recent years suffers from the European sanctions and the logical counter-measures from Russia.

French SMEs wishing to develop their business in Russia also face problems to find financial support.

Impact of sanctions in France

Impact in the agricultural sector

In the agricultural and agrofood sector, the effects of the sanctions have been heavily felt.

Impact in the industrial sector

Sanctions against Russia have interrupted in multiple areas, cooperation between French and Russian companies or have compromised the French presence in large infrastructure projects, namely in transportation e.g.High speed train (TGV) project between Moscow and Khazan.

Sanctions have only pushed Russia to reorient its trade and are durably harmful for the economic relations between France and Russia. If sanctions were to be maintained, French companies will suffer more than Russia. Indeed once sanctions are lifted, France will witness as a result a loss of market shares.

In the end the EU and its Member States might find themselves victims of the sanctions adopted against Russia. Therefore, it would be useful to evaluate with the maximum degree of realism the cost of the sanctions at EU level and for France before maintaining them. This is all the more necessary since at no time the French National Assembly as well as the Senate have been made aware or debate the soundness and the desirability of the sanctions taken against Russia.

The sanctions policy taken against Russia target several members of the Parliament of the Russian Federation, namely Mr. Sergueï Narychkine, President of the Douma and Mr. Leonid Sloutsky, President of the Russian-French Friendship group who are both strongly involved in the cooperation with France and have been decorated with the ‘Legion of Honor’. Under the current sanctions they are no longer authorized to enter the territory of EU Member States or transit in those countries. These persons who did not directly participated in operations are targeted by the sanctions only because of their vote in the Douma.

Inflicting such sanctions raise a series of issues, namely regarding the legality of these measures. Indeed, who can claim to have the right to establish a list of citizens subject to personal sanctions without hearing them or having the possibility to defend themselves or having an attorney. But most importantly, the sanctions disturb considerably any parliamentary cooperation between France and Russia.

Given the geopolitical context and the imperious necessity to fight against ISIS along with Russia, the maintenance of economic sanctions against the Russian Federation is senseless. Sanctions have proven totally inefficient in settling the Ukrainian crisis. Furthermore, one cannot request Russia to be a partner in fighting ISIS and at the same time call for sanctions against it.

Relations with Russia are too strategic to be indefinitely held hostage in the debate on the sanctions. They deserve better and must go beyond regarding the fight against terrorism or the situation in the Middle East.