UK bans export of advertising services to Russia

UK – The Advertising Association (AA) has urged advertising and marketing businesses to end business with Russia after the UK government expanded sanctions against the country to include advertising services.

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The government announced on Friday that in response to Russia’s annexation of four Ukrainian regions, it would block access to advertising services, in addition to IT consultancy, architectural services, engineering, auditing and transactional legal advisory firms.

Stephen Woodford, chief executive at the AA, said that the organisation fully supported the UK’s measures against Russia, and called for advertising firms “to act now to avoid illegal trading”.

The UK has also banned the export of almost 700 types of industrial and technological goods to Russia.

The move from the UK follows the carrying out of sham referendums in four regions of Ukraine – Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia – and the subsequent annexation announced by Russia President Vladimir Putin.

James Cleverly, foreign secretary, said that Russia “must be held to account for this abhorrent violation of international law” and said the UK was “working with our international partners to ramp up the economic pressure through new targeted services bans”.

Woodford added: “As the industry’s trade body, we fully support these measures, as well as the decision of many companies who have already ceased trading with Russia.

“Companies will be breaking the law if they export advertising and marketing services to Russia or to persons connected to Russia once the legislation comes into force, with limited exceptions.

“We urge businesses to act now to avoid illegal trading. We will continue to work with government to ensure that these sanctions have the maximum impact on Putin’s regime whilst minimising disruption to UK businesses and ensuring legitimate and necessary activity may continue.”

Three-quarters of foreign businesses have already taken significant steps in condemnation of the Russian regime’s illegal invasion, with 25% of all companies having fully withdrawn services from the country.

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