Recommendation 15

Looking beyond the current crisis to the longer-term, we consider that the objective should be to ensure that lessons learned from this intensive phase of international cooperation on sanctions are retained and applied in other contexts, including where there may not be the same level of unity among Western countries. To achieve that, we see value in a regular working arrangement between the UK and the EU on sanctions policy, covering other regimes as well as Russia and Belarus. There are different ways in which this could be achieved. It need not be an elaborate mechanism and could build on the working practices established over the past two years. One option, which we have recommended previously, would be for the Government to seek to agree a memorandum of understanding with the EU on sanctions cooperation.