Devoid of its own military force, the European Union uses economic sanctions as its main diplomatic weapon. A constantly improving tactic, the results of which appear nuanced, analyzes the Athens media Inside story.
Once again, the European Union is preparing sanctions against a country: this time it is targeting Turkey, in response to the unilateral actions of Ankara in Varosha * and the search for hydrocarbons by the research vessel Nautical Geo within the Cypriot exclusive economic zone.
Sanctions tactics have acquired a key role in the EU’s arsenal of international diplomacy. Increasingly used over the years, it entered into force in the spring of 1994, shortly after the signing of the Maastricht Treaty. But what does imposing sanctions on a third country mean?
“Sanctions are the main tool of the European Union’s foreign policy”, explains Spyros Blavoukos, Associate Professor in the Department of International and European Economic Studies at the Athens University of Economics, specializing in the analysis of international and European institutions.
“As the EU is not a military superpower, it only has economic and trade measures in its arsenal. Sanctions are a key tool, despite their weaknesses ”, he believes.
Their effectiveness is mainly influenced by two important factors: First, the clarity of the political decision taken at EU level, and second, the strength of the country in which the sanctions are imposed.
Discrepancies due to trade relations
These factors are very often communicating vessels. “When there is a clear political decision and all member states act together to impose sanctions, then sanctions are often effective. Problems usually arise when trying to impose sanctions on countries with significant international power. There are then differences due to the trade relations that one or more Member States may have with the country in which the sanctions are imposed. A typical example is that of the sanctions imposed in Russia in 2014 on the question of Crimea, which can be considered without effect ”, explains Mr. Blavoukos.
Sanctions imposed by the EU can be divided into two broad categories. The first is to freeze the assets within the EU of prominent members of a regime and erect barriers to their financial transactions. This tactic is adopted when sanctions are imposed because of opposition to an authoritarian regime, and as a pressure tool to democratize and liberalize it. The second involves sanctions of a much broader nature,
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Vassilis Nanis
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