UAE hosts a Seminar on “European Union Sanctions and Enhancing Cooperation to Strengthen Sanction Effectiveness” in Abu Dhabi

The UAE hosted a seminar on “European Union Sanctions and Enhancing Cooperation to Strengthen Sanction Effectiveness” in Abu Dhabi today. This seminar was attended by representatives across the UAE’s public sector, offering attendees a comprehensive overview of key topics, including the EU sanctions framework, financial restrictive measures, trade and dual-use related restrictions, as well as measures related to energy, transport logistics, trade flows.

The meeting was organised by the European Commission, in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the EU Delegation in the UAE.

His Excellency Saeed Al Hajeri, Assistant Minister for Economic and Trade Affairs, opened the session by emphasizing the significance of the UAE-EU relationship in addressing EU sanctions and their application. His Excellency stated that the seminar represents a pivotal step toward deepening our understanding of the EU’s sanctions framework and fostering constructive dialogue on how this critical topic can benefit both jurisdictions. He added that this seminar aligns with the UAE’s transparent and open approach in collaborating with international partners, thereby reinforcing mutual trust and commitment to upholding global standards.

Her Excellency Lucie Berger, Head of the EU Delegation to the UAE, said: “This seminar is an important step to increasing awareness of EU sanctions and their application and to prevent possible circumvention of these measures by private sector. Preventing sanctions circumvention is a priority for the EU and we look forward to continuing this cooperation both at political and technical level, including with support from a newly appointed officer to further this work in our Delegation in Abu Dhabi. Participating UAE authorities included the Ministry of Economy, the Secretariat General of the National Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing (AML/CFT) Committee, the Ministry of Justice, the Central Bank of the UAE, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security (ICP), the Economic Security Centre of Dubai, and the Executive Office for Control and Non-Proliferation (EOCN).

During the event, the EU side shared insights on EU sanctions and their application as well as trends and challenges in its sanctions framework, highlighting key areas such as financial measures, trade restrictions, and sector-specific impact, as well as challenges related to compliance and enforcement.

Both sides agreed to continue working together on shared interests in the sanction field, emphasizing open communication and cooperation to tackle challenges, address the complexity of the issue, and ensure transparency and compliance.