Interpreting the EU’s Toolbox Episode 7: The EU’s Sanctions Framework

Although European-level sanctions have been in place since the 1980s, their relevance as a foreign policy instrument has increased hand in hand with their number in the past years, in particular following the start of the Ukraine war in 2022. With more than 5000 individuals and entities currently listed, the EU’s sanctions framework is one of the world’s largest and most developed. At the same time, the complexity of this framework can create challenges for companies, particularly smaller ones, operating both in the EU and in other jurisdictions. These challenges can range from high financial and non-financial costs associated with compliance to a lack of resources and expertise when it comes to due diligence processes.

The EU SME Centre, the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, the EU Delegation to China, and the EU Sanctions Helpdesk are pleased to invite you to our Interpreting the EU’s Toolbox episode 7: The EU’s Sanctions Framework.* The event will take place online on Friday 19 September from 15:30 to 17:00 (China Standard Time) / 9:30 to 11:00 AM (Central European Time).

During this session, experts from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Financial Services and Capital Markets will provide an overview of the EU’s sanctions framework, including the most recent updates on relevant sanctions listings. Experts from the EU Sanctions Helpdesk will also present the services of the Helpdesk and share practical advice and tips on compliance for businesses.

*In the past few years, the EU has been revamping its regulatory toolbox in order to better address economic, geopolitical, technological and climate challenges. This expanding toolbox includes instruments aimed at combatting economic distortions and creating a level-playing field in the Single Market, ensuring reciprocity with third countries in areas like procurement and combatting coercive actions initiated by those countries, fostering sustainable processes and preventing carbon leakage among industry players. As a number of these regulations will impact the China operations of European companies, the European Chamber, together with the EU Delegation to China, brings to you the Interpreting the EU’s Toolbox Series, where experts provide an overview of the instruments that are being rolled out.