The EU has progressively imposed a wide range of sanctions (restrictive measures) against Russia in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the military aggression against Ukraine in 2022. These include individual measures such as asset freezes and travel restrictions, economic sanctions in relation to the financial, trade, energy, transport, technology and defense sectors and restrictions on the broadcasting activities of Russian state-owned media outlets. The unprecedented scale of sanctions has provoked new challenges of coordination, implementation and judicial review.

Proceeding from a multidisciplinary approach, this conference aims to discuss and assess the EU sanctions against Russia. Specific attention will be devoted to their legal, political and economic impact and challenges of implementation in practice. Panels will include both academics, civil servants (at EU and national level) and practitioners working in the field.  

Topics for discussion include the following:

• What is the impact of EU sanctions for the economy, and in particular for companies dealing with Russian customers? What unintended consequences may EU sanctions produce?
• How do the EU institutions and national authorities ensure the proper implementation of EU sanctions and prevent sanctions evasion? How is the alignment of sanctions regimes with non-EU actors organized?
• What implementation challenges arise from the perspective of the private sector, specifically in sectors particularly affected by EU sanctions?
• To what extent is the widening range of EU sanctions pushing the limits of extant EU, human rights and international law?

PROGRAMME

8:45 – 9:00: Registration

9:00 – 9:15: Welcome and introduction

Prof. Fabienne Bossuyt (Ghent University) and Prof. Tom Ruys (Ghent University) 

9:15 – 10:35 Panel 1: EU sanctions against Russia – mapping the impact

Chair: Prof. Francesco Giumelli (University of Groningen)

• Erica Moret (Graduate Institute, Geneva) – Assessing the effectiveness of sanctions and the challenge of overcompliance
• Karel Lannoo (CEO, CEPS) – Assessing the economic impact of sanctions
• Thijs Van de Graaf (Ghent University) – Assessing the impact of sanctions on the energy sector

10:35 – 10:50: Coffee break

10:50 – 12:45 - Panel 2: EU sanctions against Russia – implementation challenges – the view of EU, national and regional authorities

Chair:  Prof. Cedric Ryngaert (Utrecht University)

• Roberto Crespi (European Commission, Team leader for legal and horizontal matters in the Sanctions Unit, DG Fisma)
• Darta Tentere, (European Commission, Policy Advisor to EU Sanctions envoy O’Sullivan)
• Joost De Vries (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Netherlands)
• Annika Agemans, Ms. Béatrice Detiste, Ms. Ellen Van Belleghem (Ministry of Finance, Belgium)
• Milan Godin (Legal Advisor, Strategic Goods Control, Department of Foreign Affairs, Flanders) 

12:45 – 13:45: lunch

13:45 – 15:15 Panel 3: EU sanctions against Russia – implementation challenges – a sectoral view

Chair: Prof. Inge Govaere (Ghent University)

• Heleen over de Linden (attorney at law, Rechta advocatuur Amsterdam/Groningen University) Restrictions to the provision of legal services
• Luc Arnouts (Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Vice-President International Relations) –The implementation of sanctions in the maritime sector
• Hans Merket (International Peace Information Service (IPIS)) – The challenges of international coordination of restrictive measures in relation to the diamond sector
• Martin Vogt (Senior Specialist Advisor for Sanctions & Embargoes, Deutsche Bank)

15:15 – 15:30: Coffee break

15:30 – 17:00 Panel 4: EU sanctions against Russia – stretching the limits of the law?

Chair: Prof. Tobias Stoll (Göttingen University)

• Celia Challet (College of Europe/Ghent University), Restrictive measures and the scope of judicial review in the EU legal order
• Em. Dirk Voorhoof (Ghent University), Media bans and the freedom of speech
• Felipe Rodriguez Silvestre (Ghent University), Is the EU going extraterritorial?
• Nicolas Angelet (Université libre de Bruxelles), Asset freezes as a prelude to confiscation? 

17:00- 17:15: Closing remarks

Prof. Peter Van Elsuwege (Ghent University)

Registrations are closed.