Background information

Following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the EU has adopted, under the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), an unprecedented set of sanctions. Targeting inter alia the Russian economy, the EU has introduced a SWIFT ban for seven Russian banks and prohibited all transactions with the Russian Central Bank. The nature and the scope of the sanctions as well as the swiftness of the EU response raise the question of if and how this can re-shape the future of the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy? Furthermore, it raises the question of the short term and long term efficiency of such sanctions, as well as their complementarity with other types of measures the EU can envisage.

What will the round-table cover?

• What is the competence of the EU to adopt sanctions under the CFSP?
• What sanctions have been adopted so far against Russia and what effects can be anticipated?
• What is the future of the EU’s CFSP?