Russian diamonds: sanctions lead to blockages at customs, deplore Antwerp traders. The latest phase of sanctions against Russian diamonds, which came into force on March 1 in the EU, involves new customs controls.
The Belgian government acknowledges delays, but ensures that it is doing everything to “make the work of importers as easy as possible” “It’s a big mess,” confirms a player in the sector. “We are unable to fulfill our customers’ orders, we have to finance stranded excess inventory and we are asked for documents that were not requested in advance”