The Danish Business Authority wrote to ROCKWOOL on 28 February 2023 inquiring broadly regarding our Russia-related business activities. In this letter, they request general information, for example, regarding ownership structures as well as regarding potential sanctioned sales and sales involving the Russian military. We were surprised to see, however, that the Danish Business Authority publicly confirmed their inquiry to the media prior to informing ROCKWOOL, which we understand to be contrary to the Danish Business Authority’s standard practice.
We will of course provide the information the Danish Business Authority has requested.
Following Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, EU sanctions prohibited the import and export of certain materials and products between EU countries and Russia. Stone wool is not among the materials on the post-annexation sanctions list.
Following Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the EU has implemented a range of sanctions prohibiting the import and export of an increasing number of materials and products between EU countries and Russia, including so-called dual-use products. Dual-use products are goods designed for civilian use that in the wrong hands could be used to supress human rights or launch terrorist attacks. Under current sanctions, stone wool cannot be imported or exported to or from Russia, and it is not categorised as dual-use.
ROCKWOOL has completely stopped any import or export of stone wool products to or from Russia, in full compliance with all applicable sanctions.
Since the 2014 annexation of Crimea through the present, ROCKWOOL has not had and does not have a customer relationship with the Russian government or military. Being a market leader in the stone wool industry worldwide, our products are widely available on the Russian market, where they have been sold for many years through an extensive array of distributors. Therefore ROCKWOOL does not know or have any control over who all the end-users are. This is not specific to Russia, but rather how the market works in many other countries, too.
ROCKWOOL has robust policies and procedures in place to ensure compliance with all sanctions in force at any given time. We have complied – and remain in compliance – with all Russia-related sanctions both post-2014 Crimea annexation and post-2022 Ukraine invasion.
