The Permanent Representatives of the Member States to the EU agreed on the 14th sanctions package after all on Thursday, albeit without tightening the so-called „no-Russia clause“. This was to be extended to subsidiaries of EU companies in order to close known loopholes in the comprehensive sanctions regime against Russia. On instructions from Berlin, the German EU ambassador had to oppose the extension and was criticized by his European partners. Suddenly, it was Germany and not Hungary that caused the delay.