The EU bans its companies from using the Russian payment system

As part of the 14th package of anti-Russian sanctions, the European Union banned its companies operating outside the Russian Federation from using the Bank of Russia's Financial Messaging System (SPFS).

SPFS, the Russian equivalent of SWIFT, provides the transmission of financial messages both inside and outside Russia. The use of SWIFT within the Russian Federation was banned by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation in October 2023.

In a statement, the EU Council said: «Today's package significantly strengthens our financial sanctions by banning EU banks operating outside Russia from using the SPFS.» This also allows the EU to compile a list of non-Russian banks of third countries connected to the SPFS – these banks will be prohibited from doing business with EU operators.

In addition, the EU has imposed a ban on transactions with banks and suppliers of crypto assets in Russia and third countries that facilitate transactions supporting the Russian military-industrial base.

Recall that the SPFS was created in response to the first wave of anti-Russian sanctions in 2014. By the end of 2023, 556 organizations had become users of the SPFS, of which more than a quarter (159) non-residents from 20 countries made up the list. The Central Bank previously published a list of SPFS participants on its website, but hid it in April 2022 after a new wave of sanctions affected the largest Russian banks.