Sanctions against China

Description of the sanctions

Arms embargo

The EU has an embargo on arms trade with China. In the absence of a detailed common EU definition of ‘arms embargo’, it is left to respective Member States to interpret the meaning in accordance with national laws, regulations and decision-making processes.

Relevant EU documents

The restrictive measures are described in the political Declaration of the European Council issued in Madrid on 27 June 1989. The Declaration is available via the EU sanctions map.

Competent Swedish authorities

There are no specific government agency mandates for implementation of the sanctions against China. The trade restrictions are implemented within the framework of Swedish national legislation. The Inspectorate of Strategic Products is the government agency responsible for issues concerning the arms embargo.

Background to the sanctions

In relation to the events at the Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing in 1989, a number of EU countries introduced arms embargoes against China. Together with the European Council, a political declaration was adopted in June 1989, through which the EU imposed a common embargo and incorporated it into a broader range of economic sanctions.

The arms embargo is political but not legally binding. It was left to the respective Member States to interpret the meaning of ‘arms embargo’ in accordance with national laws, regulations and decision-making processes.