THE ROAD TOWARDS THE EUROPEAN UNION GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS SANCTIONS REGIME

Abstract

On 7 December 2020, the Council of the European Union adopted two legal instruments, the Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses and the Council Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses, which together make up the European Union Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime as a relatively new tool in its “human rights and foreign policy toolbox’’ that focusses on serious human rights violations. This article focuses on the Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020 – 2024 as part of the Joint Communication adopted in March 2020 by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Commission since the European Union Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime is a key deliverable proposed in the Action Plan. More specifically, the article examines whether the European Union Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime has provided greater flexibility to target those responsible for serious human rights violations and abuses worldwide, as well as whether the said regime could be seen as an European Union response to a transnational security threat.