What are sanctions (restrictive measures)
Sanctions are an essential tool in the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP), through which it can intervene where necessary to prevent conflict or respond to current or emerging crises.Although they are called ‘sanctions’, EU restrictive measures are not punitive. They are intended to bring about a change in bad or harmful policiesor activities by targeting the non-EU countries, including organisations and individuals, responsible.
The EU has over 40 different sanctions regimes in place. Some are mandated by the United Nations Security Council, while others are adopted autonomously by the EU.
Decisions on the adoption, renewal, or lifting of sanctions regimes are taken by the Council of the European Union, on the basis of proposals from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The European Commission, together with the High Representative, make joint proposals of sanctions to the Council for adoption at unanimity. It then becomes applicable EU law when published in the Official Journal. In addition, as guardian of the treaties, the Commission plays a vital role in overseeing sanctions implementation by Member States.
EU Finance Podcast
The one about sanctions
EU Finance Podcast
The one about how sanctions are indeed working
Sanctions resources
The EU sanctions map provides comprehensive details of all EU sanctions regimes and their corresponding legal acts, including those regimes adopted by the UN Security Council and transposed at EU level.
Financial sanctions: Consolidated list
The consolidated list of individuals, groups and organisations subject to EU financial sanctions, which DG FISMA manages and updates whenever necessary, reflects the officially adopted texts published in the Official Journal of the EU. You can also download a PDF version of the consolidated list of financial sanctions.
EU sanctions whistleblower tool
Sharing of information about EU sanctions violations can contribute to the success of ongoing investigations in EU Member States and increase the effectiveness of EU sanctions.
EU sanctions tool - Iran
The EU sanctions tool aims to help EU companies determine whether EU sanctions apply to their exports, imports and business with Iran. By providing an easy-to-use compliance assessment, the tool is designed as a first point of reference for EU companies at an early stage of their business engagement in Iran.
EUR-Lex
EUR-Lex is the online gateway to EU Law. It provides the official and most comprehensive access to EU legal documents, including legal acts adopted by the Council of the EU in the area of sanctions and published in the Official Journal of the EU. EUR-lex is available in all of the EU’s 24 official languages and is updated daily.
Guidance and advisories
29 November 2023
Guidance note - Firewalls (Russia)
Guidance supporting the implementation and recognition of firewalls (frameworks removing the control of designated persons) in the area of trade in agricultural and food products
18 October 2023
See AlsoWhat Are Economic Sanctions?List - Economically critical goods (Russia)
List of mainly industrial goods subject to EU sanctions, for which anomalous trade flows via certain third countries to Russia have been detected
12 October 2023
Guidance note - Maritime oil industry
Price Cap Coalition advisory for the maritime oil industry
22 September 2023
List - Common high priority items (Russia)
List of prohibited dual-use goods and advanced technology items used in Russian military systems found on the battlefield in Ukraine or critical to the development, production or use of those systems
7 September 2023
Guidance - Due diligence (Russia)
Guidance setting out general advice on risk assessment, best practices for conducting due diligence on business partners, transactions and goods, as well as a list of circumvention red flags. With focus on export-related sanctions
4 September 2023
Guidance - Stopped goods (Russia)
Guidance on the handling of goods which were brought into the EU in good faith before the sanctions entered into force, have not been released for free circulation and remain blocked in customs offices of the Member States
27 July 2023
Factsheet - Accessing EU financial services as a non-profit organisation
Factsheet: Accessing EU financial services as a non-profit organisation
16 May 2023
Frequently asked questions - Syria
Frequently asked questions: Humanitarian exemption in theEU Syria sanctions regime following the February 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria
30 June 2022
Guidance note - Humanitarian aid
Commission guidance note on the provision of humanitarian aid in compliance with EU restrictive measures (sanctions)
9 March 2023
Global advisory (Russia)
Guidance issued by the multilateral REPO Task Force, setting out certain typologies of Russian sanctions evasion tactics and recommendations on how to mitigate the risk of exposure to continued evasion. With focus on financial sanctions
26 February 2022
Frequently asked questions - Sanctions
Frequently asked questions: Restrictive measures (sanctions)
23 February 2022 - current
Frequently asked questions - Sanctions against Russia
Frequently asked questions concerning sanctions adopted following Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and Belarus' involvement in it
13 August 2021
Guidance note & Statement - Humanitarian aid to fight the COVID-19
- Guidance note on the provision of humanitarian aid to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in certain environments subject to EU sanctions (clarification on Covid-19 vaccines and therapeutics, EU counter-terrorism sanctions, Iran, Nicaragua, Syria, Venezuela)
- Statement - Sanctions: Commission issues additional guidance on providing COVID-19-related humanitarian aid in sanctioned environments
8 June 2021
Opinion - Individual financial sanctions (Russia)
Commission opinion on Article 2(2) of Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 (territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine), notably on “control” and on “making funds or economic resources available”
2 June 2021
Opinion - Central African Republic
Opinion on the release of frozen funds under Council Regulation (EU) No 224/2014 (Central African Republic)
27 May 2021
Opinion - Libya, Syria
Opinion on changes to the features of frozen funds (Libya, Syria)
11 May 2021
Guidance note - Myanmar/Burma
- Guidance note on the implementation of Council Regulation (EU) No 401/2013 (Myanmar/Burma)
- Press release on the guidance note on the implementation of Council Regulation (EU) No 401/2013 (Myanmar/Burma)
17 December 2020
Guidance note - EU global human rights sanctions regime
- Guidance note on the implementation of Council Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 (EU global human rights sanctions regime)
- Press release on the guidance note on the implementation of Council Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 (EU global human rights sanctions regime)
16 November 2020
Guidance note - Humanitarian aid to fight the COVID-19
- Guidance note on the provision of humanitarian aid to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in certain environments subject to EU sanctions (Iran, Nicaragua, Syria, Venezuela)
This guidance note has been replaced by the guidance note of 13 August 2021
- Press release on the guidance note on the provision of humanitarian aid to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in certain environments subject to EU sanctions
- Guidance note on the provision of humanitarian aid to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in certain environments subject to EU sanctions (Iran, Nicaragua, Syria, Venezuela)
9 Octobre 2020
Guidance note - Humanitarian aid to fight the COVID-19
- Guidance note on the provision of humanitarian aid to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in certain environments subject to EU sanctions (Iran, Syria, Venezuela)
This guidance note has been replaced by the guidance note of 13 August 2021
- Statement - Sanctions: Commission expands Guidance on COVID-19-related humanitarian aid in sanctioned environments
- Guidance note on the provision of humanitarian aid to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in certain environments subject to EU sanctions (Iran, Syria, Venezuela)
19 June 2020
Opinion - Individual financial sanctions (control, and services and labour as economic resources)
Commission opinion on Article 2 of Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 (territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine), notably on “control” and on services and labour as “economic resources”
3 June 2020
Non official guide - Humanitarian funds Syria
“Risk management principles guide for sending humanitarian funds into Syria and similar high-risk jurisdictions” – non-official guide supported by the Commission
11 May 2020
Guidance note - Humanitarian aid to fight the COVID-19 (Syria)
- Guidance note on the provision of humanitarian aid to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in certain environments subject to EU sanctions (Syria)
This guidance note has been replaced by the guidance note of 13 August 2021
- Questions and answers on the provision of humanitarian aid to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in Syria
- Press release on the guidance note on the provision of humanitarian aid to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in certain environments subject to EU sanctions
- Guidance note on the provision of humanitarian aid to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in certain environments subject to EU sanctions (Syria)
Frequently asked questions
Questions and answers due diligence on restrictive measures for EU businesses dealing with Iran
8 November 2019
Opinion - National asset freezes
Opinion on the compatibility of national asset freezes imposed by Member States with Union law
17 October 2019
Opinion - Russia economic sanctions
Commission opinion on Article 5(1) of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 (Russia sectoral economic sanctions), notably on “acting on behalf or at the direction of”
29 August 2019
Opinion - Derogations freezing funds
Opinion on the application of derogations from the freezing of funds and from the prohibition to make funds and economic resources available to designated persons and entities
5 August 2019
Opinion - Higher education
Opinion on the provision of higher education and the undertaking of applied research in the framework of a prohibition to provide technology or technical assistance to a third country
4 July 2019
Opinion - Scope of export ban (Russia)
Commission opinion on the scope of export ban in Article 2b of Council Regulation (EU) No 692/2014 (illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol).
4 July 2019
Opinion - Freezing of funds (Iran)
Opinion on the freezing of funds of a non-designated person transferred into a Member State from a designated bank and the derogation for “extraordinary expenses” under Article 28 of Council Regulation (EU) No 267/2012 (Iran – non-proliferation)
7 June 2019
Opinion - Libya
Opinion on Article 5(4) of Council Regulation (EU) 2016/44 (Libya)
31 January 2019
Guidance note - Import and export ban of luxury goods
Guidance note on the import and export ban of luxury goods under Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1509 (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)
25 January 2018
Information note - Crimea/Sevastopol
Information note to raise the awareness about the risks related to the economic and financial situation in Crimea/Sevastopol in light of the illegal annexation by Russia and the policy of “non-recognition” upheld by the EU
17 October 2017
Opinion – Individual financial sanctions (making funds or economic resources available) (Russia)
Commission opinion on Article 2(2) of Council Regulation (EU) No 269/2014 (territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine), notably on “making funds or economic resources available”
25 August 2017
Guidance note - Russia aconomic sanctions
Guidance note on the implementation of certain provisions of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 (Russia economic sanctions), in particular by financial institutions
1 September 2017
Frequently asked questions - Syria
Frequently asked questions on EU sanctions in Syria
13 February 2017
Opinion – Russia economic sanctions
Commission opinion on the provision of shareholders loans to finance the sale of goods listed in Annex II to Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 (Russia economic sanctions)
Sanctions against Russia
Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine
More about sanctions
Humanitarian assistance in environments subject to EU sanctions
The Commission adopted guidance and a number of tools to assist humanitarian operators in delivering assistance in compliance with EU sanctions.
EU blocking statute
The European Union’s blocking statute (Council Regulation (EC) No 2271/96 ) protects EU operators from the extra-territorial application of non-EU country laws.
Contact
Questions on matters of implementation should primarily be addressed to the relevant national competent authority. The document below provides contact details in all Member States.
27 NOVEMBER 2023
National competent authorities for the implementation of EU restrictive measures (sanctions)
English
(420.85 KB - PDF)
DownloadRelated links
Council of the EU
European External Action Service (EEAS)
EU solidarity with Ukraine
