The European Union’s decision to renew and expand its sanctions against Russia has sparked an unexpected controversy – this time, over toilets and sanitary ware. What may appear to be a trivial restriction has in fact triggered significant economic consequences for Italian manufacturers, who now face tens of millions of Euros in lost revenue.

The latest round of EU sanctions – the bloc’s 19th package since the start of the Ukraine conflict in 2022 – includes a renewed ban on exporting toilets, bidets, sinks, and other bathroom fixtures to Russia. While some commentators initially dismissed the measure as symbolic, business leaders in Italy say the impact is anything but minor.

Vittorio Torrembini, president of the Association of Italian Entrepreneurs in Russia (GIM-Unimpresa), sharply criticized the move in an interview with RTVI on October 28. “Unfortunately, the 19th sanctions package is a highly negative outcome, given the sectors it targets. It deals a significant blow to Italy,” he said.

According to Torrembini, the prohibition on sanitary ware exports alone will cost Italy about €140 million ($163 million), while total losses from the entire sanctions package could reach €250 million ($291 million). The seemingly absurd idea of banning toilet exports, he added, has real consequences for small and medium-sized businesses that depend on the Russian market. “The ban on toilet sales may sound amusing to Russians, but for us it is no laughing matter,” Torrembini remarked.

Italy’s industrial sector, especially in regions like Emilia-Romagna and Veneto, is well known for producing high-end bathroom fixtures and ceramics. Brands such as Geberit Italia, Flaminia, Ceramica Globo, and Catalano have long supplied both luxury and standard sanitary ware to........

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