On 2 November 2018, a joint statement was released by Foreign and Financial Ministers of the UK, France and Germany, including Philip Hammond and Jeremy Hunt, expressing the countries’ regret regarding the re-imposition of sanctions on Iran by the U.S. as a result of the U.S.’s withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). The statement highlights the nations’ view that the JCPoA is an important tool in the process of nuclear non-proliferation and…
On 25 October 2018, the European parliament passed a non-binding resolution expressing its concerns over Russia’s actions in the Sea of Azov, in particular the construction of the Kerch Bridge and inspections of ships going through the Kerch Straight (actions that the Parliament suggests are in breach of international maritime law and Russia’s international commitments). The Resolution welcomes the Council’s decision to impose sanctions on six companies involved in the construction of the bridge, and…
On 12 October 2018, the UK government published guidance on sanctions implementation in the event that the UK leaves the EU without an agreement on 29 March 2019 (see guidance here). This is part of the government’s overall guidance on how to prepare for Brexit if there is no deal (see overarching framing notice here). The guidance states that the UK will look to implement UN sanctions and carry over all existing EU sanctions at…
The EU announced on 15 October 2018 that it has adopted a new sanctions regime to address the use and proliferation of chemical weapons, which will enable it to impose travel bans and/or asset freezes on those involved in the development and use of chemical weapons anywhere, regardless of their nationality and location. This follows the conclusions of the European Council on this subject on 28 June 2018 (link). The Council’s press release (link) states…