Unlike previous extensions there was little attention paid to it in the run up. In previous years when the decision was made there was some protests from member states, national government or lower government. Donald Tusk, president of the European Commission, summed it up in a Tweet: "EU united on roll-over of economic sanctions on Russia."
This decision has no short term consequences on the boycott of fruit and vegetables from Europe that Russia imposed as a response to the sanctions. Russia announced they would be maintaining the boycott until the end of 2018 when the sanctions were last extended. In the European Parliament last month there were parliamentarians who agreed that the EU should be doing more to tackle the consequences of the boycott. European Commissioner Hogan responded that there were enough measures in place to limit the damage of the boycott.
This decision has no short term consequences on the boycott of fruit and vegetables from Europe that Russia imposed as a response to the sanctions. Russia announced they would be maintaining the boycott until the end of 2018 when the sanctions were last extended. In the European Parliament last month there were parliamentarians who agreed that the EU should be doing more to tackle the consequences of the boycott. European Commissioner Hogan responded that there were enough measures in place to limit the damage of the boycott.
