Hoekstra: ‘Let’s build a Sanctions HQ in Brussels’
The European Union needs to ‘leverage its economic capability into geopolitical power’ – and tighter sanctions policy is the way to do it. So said Netherlands’ Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra, in a 20 February speech at which he also said the Netherlands is ‘convinced we need to move to qualified majority voting in the areas of sanctions, human rights, and civilian EU missions. This will dramatically increase our versatility.’ Currently, decisions on such matters require unanimous votes from EU members.
‘That,’ said Hoekstra, ‘is why we need to further develop a much more effective, powerful, and easy-to-apply anti-coercion instrument at an EU level. So that whenever a global power tries to force one of us into submission through economic measures, it will feel the full economic power of the Union as a whole.’ The EU, he added, should now ‘sail to the next horizon where sanctions are concerned,’ noting that, while sanctions are ‘hurting the Russians like hell’, they are also being ‘evaded on a massive scale.’
Bemoaning current hindrances, Hoekstra insisted, ‘We currently have too little capacity in the EU to analyse, coordinate, and promote new sanctions. So, we simply have to step up our efforts. That’s why I would like us to set up a sanctions headquarters in Brussels. A place where Member States can pool information and resources on effectiveness and evasion. Where we do much more to fight circumvention by third countries.
‘This new HQ would establish a watch list of sectors and trade flows with a high circumvention risk. Companies will be obliged to include end-use clauses in their contracts, so that their products don’t end up in the Russian war machine. And the EU should bring down the full force of its collective economic strength and criminal justice systems on those who assist in sanctions evasion. By naming, shaming, sanctioning, and prosecuting them.’
See the speech in its entirety at:
