On 19 September 2025, the EU SME Centre and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, together with the EU Commission, the EU Delegation to China and the EU Sanctions Helpdesk co-hosted an online working group meeting to unpack the complexity of the EU’s sanctions framework, one of the most comprehensive and developed in the world. The event featured insights from Pilvi Pusa, Policy Officer at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Financial Services and Capital Markets; Ian Matthews, Team Leader of the EU Sanctions Helpdesk; and Frederik van Essen, Senior Legal and Compliance Expert at the EU Sanctions Helpdesk.
Pilvi Pusa opened the session with an overview of the EU sanctions framework, explaining why, how, and where sanctions are imposed, as well as penalties for EU sanctions violations. She also provided further details on the EU’s sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Ian Matthews then presented the objectives and services of the EU Sanctions Helpdesk. He also introduced ways to get involved, especially for SMEs. This was followed by Frederik van Essen, who shared practical tips and advice with case studies, walking participants through a checklist to help companies identify and assess potential risks. He also provided additional useful resources.
The presentations concluded with a lively Q&A session. Finally, Marion Stonner, First Secretary at the Delegation of the European Union to China, delivered the closing remarks, encouraging continued communication and collaboration on these critical issues
