The weirdest export casualty of EU sanctions on Russia? Italy says it’s €250 million worth and toilets are part of it

Industry estimates show Italy could lose up to €250 million as the EU extends trade restrictions on Russia under its latest sanctions package.

Italian companies are set to lose hundreds of millions of euros after the European Union extended its ban on exporting sanitary ware, including toilets and bidets, to Russia under its 19th sanctions package.

Industry estimates put the total impact on the Italian economy at around €250 million, with sanitary ware exports alone accounting for nearly €140 million, according to BRG report.

The renewed restrictions were formally adopted by EU leaders in Brussels last week as part of a broader effort to tighten pressure on Moscow over its war in Ukraine.

Toilet business is serious business 🚽 'Italy set to lose around €140MN due to EU's ban on sanitary ware to Russia' — president of Italy-Russia Chamber of Commerce to RIA Turns out the sanctions have a… downstream effect https://t.co/lsdVNn0QnApic.twitter.com/6WSKPOuxEk

— RT (@RT_com) December 27, 2025

Why Italy is exposed

Italy is one of Europe’s largest exporters of ceramic sanitary ware, with a strong manufacturing base concentrated in regions such as Emilia-Romagna. Industry sources said the extension of the ban, first introduced in 2022, has prolonged uncertainty for exporters that had hoped for a gradual easing of restrictions.

Business groups warned that while the ban on toilets and bidets may appear symbolic, it has tangible consequences for manufacturers with limited alternative markets at comparable scale.

Russia responds with mockery

Russian officials dismissed the move, arguing that the sanctions would harm European economies more than Russia’s. President Vladimir Putin, speaking to reporters in October, mocked the EU decision, saying it would “cost them dearly” and joking that Europe would “need Russian toilets” if current policies continued.

Russian authorities have repeatedly claimed that sanctions have forced domestic industries to adapt and diversify supply chains rather than weaken the economy.

What else the 19th package includes

Beyond sanitary ware, the EU’s latest sanctions extend restrictions to goods such as flowers, moss and motorised toys. More significantly, the package targets Russia’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector and tightens controls on over 100 vessels linked to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet”, used to bypass oil export limits.

EU High Representative Kaja Kallas said the package also targets Russian banks, crypto exchanges and entities in third countries, including India and China, that are linked to sanctions circumvention.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the measures mark the first time the EU has directly hit Russia’s gas sector, which she described as central to financing the war.

The EU’s decision to broaden trade restrictions has increased economic pressure on Russia, but it has also amplified costs for certain European exporters. For Italy’s sanitary ware manufacturers, the extension means continued loss of a key market with limited short-term substitutes.

Industry groups are now pressing national and EU authorities for support measures and export diversification assistance, as Brussels signals that sanctions are likely to remain in place for the foreseeable future.