The Implementation of EU Sanctions
The European Union (EU) has relied on sanctions to deal with foreign policy challenges with a growing frequency in the last three decades. Although sanctions are normally considered as a foreign policy instrument, the nature of the instrument has changed substantially and its implementation requires the active involvement of non-state entities. In the EU legal framework, this means that international sanctions also require Regulations to be fully operational. As such, member states are required to adopt specific legislation to ensure a coherent and consistent implementation of EU sanctions across the 27 members. This article investigates how member states implement Council Regulations based on Council Decisions that adopt restrictive measures under CFSP. The objective is to assess whether sanctions are coherently and consistently implemented across the European Union. This research has theoretical and policy implications. From a theoretical perspective, we draw conclusions on the nature of the EU as an international actor. From a policy perspective, we identify loopholes in the implementation of sanctions.
Co-authors: Pim Geelhoed, Aurora Molesini and Max de Vries