"I can confirm that the Commission's proposal for the 11th package of sanctions has been sent out to the member states, that happened on Friday," EU Commission spokesman Eric Mamer told a briefing.
The spokesman also said that the commission was waiting for the first discussion in COREPER on Wednesday on the sanctions proposals and possible counter proposals from the member states.
"The goal is for the EU member states to negotiate on this proposal, so to conclude on a final format of the proposal," Mamer added.
On February 25, the EU introduced the 10th package of Russia sanctions, which provided for strengthening export, import and personal restrictions, as well as imposing new limitations on Russian media. The European Commission said the package would cost 11.4 billion euros ($13 billion), noting that the EU's exports to Russia had decreased by almost 50% year-on-year, while imports to the bloc had been cut by nearly 60%.
Moscow believes the country has by and large managed to withstand the unprecedented sanctions pressure it's encountered. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his address to the Federal Assembly in February that the country’s gross domestic product decreased by only 2.1% in 2022.
The United Nations estimated in its January World Economic Situation and Prospects report that the Russian economy contracted by just around 3.5% last year as opposed to the 15% projected at the start of 2022.