Latvia to ban imports of various goods from Russia and Belarus

Latvia will implement an import ban on a variety of goods from Russia and Belarus, effective September 1. The decision, following parliamentary approval in July, was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ban covers books, newspapers, and other printed materials, as well as clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, games, and sporting equipment. Moving forward, the import of these items into EU and NATO member Baltic states will be prohibited, even if sourced from third countries.

The Latvian government stated the measure is intended to protect national security interests, reduce export revenues for Russia and Belarus, and restrict the import of Russian propaganda materials. Since 2022, the value of imports to Latvia has already decreased by 91%, falling from 2.13 billion euros to 193 million euros last year.