Spring is a new beginning? EU sanctions following the Arab Spring

Sanctions –  known as ‘restrictive measures’ in EU jargon – are frequently used by the EU as a policy instrument to bring about change in the policies of third states. In reaction to the Arab Spring, the EU decided to impose such measures against diverse persons and entities in countries like Egypt, Libya and Syria. The proposed paper explores the extent to which measures employed mark a departure from previous policy - notably the imposition of energy embargoes, but also attempts to identify features of continuity in the EU's approach towards the Arab neighbourhood. Taking a comparative perspective on the three cases mentioned, this paper does not only provide an empirical overview of the measures imposed regarding those three countries, but also tries to explain the configuration of EU sanctions in response to the Arab revolts. By exploring the applicability of path dependence, it aims to define the variables explaining the determinants of the EU’s sanctions policy towards.