Publication

In light of expectations of sanctions relief for Iran following the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreement on the country’s nuclear program, this brief examines the EU’s track record on lifting sanctions. More specifically, the authors 1) compare the ability of the EU and the US to lift sanctions, highlighting how it is easier for the Union; 2) reviews how the EU has lifted sanctions from Myanmar and Uzbekistan; and 3) looks at the EU’s sanctions practices against countries who breach human rights, democratic processes or the rule of law and how the Union sets goals for such countries for sanctions to be lifted; and 4) how the EU should deal with sanctions relief for Iran.