Important advisory on European Union sanctions screening configuration

Last updated: April 7, 2026

We are reaching out with an important recommendation to enhance the timeliness and scope of your European Union sanctions screening.

If you are currently screening against the EU External Action Service - Consolidated List of Sanctions but not the European Union Council Restrictive Measures we recommend the following action point. While the first list is an essential and official source for compliance, relying on it exclusively can create a potential time gap in your risk mitigation efforts.

Understanding the difference between EU sanctions sources

To ensure our clients have the most robust compliance framework possible, it's important to understand the key differences between the two official EU sources we provide:

1. EU External Action Service - Consolidated List of Sanctions (your current source)

  • Data: This list is highly detailed and provides a wealth of data points for sanctioned entities.

  • Scope: Its coverage is primarily focused on asset freezes.

  • Challenge: There is a known delay, ranging from a few hours to several months, between when a sanction is legally adopted by the EU and when it appears on this consolidated list. This delay can create a compliance gap because of how the authority publishes this data.

2. European Union Council Restrictive Measures (our recommended addition)

  • Data: This list is designed for speed and takes its information directly from the official legislative texts published in the EUR-Lex journal. While it may have fewer data points initially, it is the fastest way to be alerted to new sanctions.

  • Scope: Its coverage is broader, including all restrictive measures in addition to asset freezes. This can result in a slightly different number of entities compared to the consolidated list.

  • Advantage: It virtually eliminates the delay, ensuring you are screening against new designations as soon as they become law.

Recommended action

To close the time gap and broaden your compliance scope, we strongly recommend monitoring both sources. By doing so, you will benefit from:

  • Immediate updates: Catch new designations instantly with the European Union Council Restrictive Measures list.

  • Comprehensive detail: Leverage the rich data from the EU External Action Service - Consolidated List as it becomes available.

  • Broader protection: Ensure you are screening against all types of EU restrictive measures, not just asset freezes.

We advise you to log in to your account and add the European Union Council Restrictive Measures source to your screening configuration. This simple step will significantly strengthen your compliance posture and ensure you can act on the most current information available.

If you have any questions about this recommendation or need assistance updating your account settings, please contact your Account Manager or our support team at [email protected]