The EU has imposed sanctions on certain countries and regions. In addition, we have our own rules, which are based in part on the terms of our payment partners. This means it is not permitted to sell certain goods that are made in or come from these countries and regions. For some countries, the ban applies to all goods; for others, it only applies to certain types of goods.
Prohibited to sell
Iran
Cuba
North Korea
Syria
Crimea and Sevastopol
The occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia
The ban applies regardless of how old the item is. It includes, for example:
rugs
coins and banknotes
stamps
antiques
jewellery
handicrafts
books, music and films
cigars, cigar boxes and cigar bands from Cuba
It is not permitted to sell certain goods that have been brought in from Russia or Belarus after the EU bans came into force. This applies to both new and used goods, for example if the item is shipped from Russia or Belarus or was recently bought there. The ban covers, among other things:
Gold, gold coins and gold jewellery
Diamonds and jewellery with diamonds
Wood and wooden items, for example bowls, frames and ornaments
Furniture, lamps, cushions and duvets
Glass, for example glassware, decorative glass and glass beads
Silver items, but not silver jewellery
Cameras and mobile phones
Cosmetics and soap
Bags, leather, fur skins, shoes and certain women's clothing
Iron and steel, including cast iron and kitchenware
Caviar
Cars and leisure boats
Weapons and military equipment
It is not permitted to sell cultural objects from Iraq that were taken out of the country after 6 August 1990, for example archaeological objects, ancient coins, cuneiform tablets and cylinder seals.
What matters is where the item was made or minted, based on today's borders. It does not matter which country or kingdom existed at the time. An ancient coin minted in what is now Iran therefore counts as Iranian, and a Greek coin from Panticapaeum counts as an item from Crimea.
Allowed to sell, with restrictions
The bans do not apply to goods that were already in the EU before the ban came into force, for example older Soviet items that have been in Sweden for a long time. For gold, the ban only applies to gold exported from Russia after 22 July 2022, or from Belarus after 1 July 2024.
Cultural objects from Iraq may be sold if you can show that the item was taken out of the country before 6 August 1990.
Allowed to sell
Goods from Russia and Belarus that are not covered by the bans, for example stamps, banknotes, coins that are not made of gold, porcelain, watches without diamonds, jewellery without gold or diamonds, art, icons, books, toys, uniforms and medals
Persian-style rugs made in countries other than Iran, for example India or Pakistan
Modern Iraqi banknotes and stamps
Products with Cuban brands that are made outside Cuba, for example lighters