EU sanctions and the voice of business

Sanctions have emerged as a favoured foreign policy tool of many international actors, including the European Union (EU), for coercing states to change problematic behaviour. Sometimes the lack of plausible alternatives makes sanctions an attractive option for policymakers. But sanctions are a policy instrument in themselves, with numerous advantages and disadvantages that must be considered before resorting to their use. The EU has used sanctions 33 times to-date to address a variety of issues.