A symbiotic relationship? examining the convergence of views between practitioners and scholars on sanctions effectiveness

© 2018 Kluwer Law International BV. In recent years, sanctions-or restrictive measures within the framework of the Common Foreign and Security Policy-have become one of the European Union (EU)'s instruments of choice for dealing with external crises. Given EU foreign policymakers so often resort to sanctions, they should be aware of the limits, pitfalls, and benefits associated with this instrument. After all, a well-designed and well-managed sanctions policy requires a profound knowledge of the contextual conditions under which sanctions work-or fail to work. This policy-focused article, therefore, compares dominant views held by EU policy practitioners with the sanctions effectiveness literature. Building on thirty-six expert interviews conducted with members of the EU sanctions community, it examines whether there is a basis for evidence-based policy making inside the EU's sanctions machinery. The article finds that while such basis exists, there is also room for mutual learning between academic experts and EU policy practitioners.

Jaar van publicatie:2018