THE CURRENT EU SANCTIONS POLICY: POLITICALAND LEGAL ANALYSISOF THE MAIN REGULATORY DOCUMENTS

Restrictive measures (sanctions) against third countries currently represent one of the most important instruments of the European Union’s foreign policy. By imposing sanctions, the EU responds to global challenges and events that contradict the Union’s political and humanitarian objectives and values, thereby seeking to promote peace, democracy, respect for international law and human rights, as well as to resolve ongoing and prevent emerging conflicts and crises in the international arena. This article presents the results of a politico-legal analysis of key regulatory documents that constitute the normative foundation of the EU’s current sanctions policy. The aim of the research is to identify the main legal, political, and value-based characteristics and features of the mechanisms regulating the application of the EU’s own restrictive measures. The study traces some shifts in emphasis within the EU’s political agenda throughout the formation and evolution of the practice of imposing unified restrictive measures against third countries as part of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). A general overview is provided of the EU’s restrictive measures, their specificities, and patterns of application.