The project The Economic Weapon: EU Sanctions in Law, Politics and Statecraft aims to establish an interdisciplinary Centre of Excellence at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid dedicated to examining the role of economic sanctions as instruments of European Union foreign policy, security and international governance.

Bringing together perspectives from economics, economic history, EU and international law, political science and international relations, the Centre will explore how economic weapons such as sanctions are designed, implemented and enforced, as well as their political, economic and social consequences. Attention will be paid to their effectiveness, their impact on international relations and their implications for European strategic autonomy.

The Centre will combine research, teaching, professional training and policy dialogue through interdisciplinary courses, seminars, international conferences, academic publications and policy briefs. It will engage students, researchers, policymakers and civil society, fostering informed debate on the EU's growing use of economic coercion in an increasingly fragmented geopolitical environment.

Ultimately, the project seeks to strengthen European studies, promote cooperation between academia and policymakers, and position the Centre as an international reference point for research and education on EU sanctions and economic statecraft.