Sanctions and export controls

Sanctions are a key foreign policy and national security tool used by governments and international organisations to influence behaviour, restrict access to funds, goods and services and respond to threats to international peace and security.

Sanctions regimes may be imposed by the UN, the UK, the EU, the US and other jurisdictions and commonly target countries, organisations, entities and individuals associated with particular activities or objectives.

Sanctions measures impose prohibitions and requirements on the targets directly (known as ‘designated persons’), but also on third parties who trade or otherwise deal with them.