Latvia will impose an import ban on a range of goods from Russia and Belarus, to come into force on September 1.
After parliament approved the import ban in July, the government has now set the date for its entry into force and finalized the list of affected product groups, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
The ban covers printed books, newspapers and other printed materials, clothing and other textile products, footwear, toys, games and sports equipment. In future, these items will no longer be permitted to be imported into the Baltic EU and NATO member state, even from third countries.
The Foreign Ministry said the measure is aimed at protecting Latvia's security interests. It is also intended to reduce export revenues from Russia and Belarus and to restrict the import of Russian propaganda materials.
Latvia, which borders Russia and its ally Belarus to the east, is home to a significant ethnic Russian minority.
The government in Riga is one of Ukraine's closest partners as it defends itself against continued Russian aggression.
Latvia has imposed several national import restrictions on goods from Russia and Belarus, in addition to EU sanctions since the war began four and a half years ago.
The value of imports has dropped by 91% since 2022, from €2.13 billion to €193 million last year. The names of companies that continue to trade with Russia and Belarus are listed in a publicly accessible register.