Sanctions
Eritrea
The United Nations Security Council adopted resolution 2023 on 5 December 2011 imposing additional sanctions in relation to Eritrea. See our Eritrea sanctions page for further information.
Autonomous Sanctions Regulations - report on public consultation
The Australian Government has released the report on the public consultation on the exposure draft of the Autonomous Sanctions Regulations. See our Autonomous Sanctions Regulations consultation page for further information.
UN Security Council Sanctions
In situations where the UN Security Council has determined the existence of a threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or an act of aggression, the Charter of the United Nations (the Charter) authorises it to decide on measures to be taken to maintain or restore international peace and security (Charter Article 39).
Members of the United Nations are legally bound to accept and carry out these measures (Charter Article 25).
Those measures that do not involve the use of armed force are known as "sanctions".
More information on UN Security Council sanctions
- What measures are imposed as UN Security Council sanctions?
- How are UN Security Council sanctions implemented in Australia?
Australia's autonomous sanctions
"Autonomous sanctions" are punitive measures not involving the use of armed force that the Australian Government chooses to take (as opposed to measures it is obliged to take by virtue of UNSC resolution) as a foreign policy response to situations of international concern.
These measures seek to apply pressure on regimes to desist in the repression of human rights and democratic freedoms, or the pursuit of internationally or regionally destabilising policies (such as WMD proliferation), or to prevent regime leaders using Australia as a haven for misappropriated state or other funds.
In some instances, autonomous sanctions may be used to supplement UNSC sanctions.
More information on Australian autonomous sanctions
What measures are imposed as autonomous sanctions?
Queries on sanctions
For general information on sanctions and their application in Australian law, please refer to In this section menu of information.
If you have a specific question about the application of sanctions to a particular transaction, please submit an inquiry online using the department's Online Sanctions Administration System.
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