26th September 2025

International sanctions conference co-organised by CIHOL

The Ljubljana Sanctions Conference, held between 25 and 26 September, highlighted key issues surrounding the role sanctions play in international law. Co-organised by the Centre for International Humanitarian and Operational Law, the MINOS Network, and the Faculty of Law at the University of Ljubljana, the conference convened some 65 experts across 14 panels and roundtables.

Key panels included judicial limits to sanctions and the Court of Justice of the European Union, sanctions evasion, sanctions in investment and arbitration proceedings, sanctions and human rights, TWAIL and post-colonial approaches to sanctions, and national implementation of sanctions.

The conference kicked-off with a video address by Tanja Fajon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia, followed by introductory remarks from Marko Rakovec, Slovenia’s Director General of the Department for International Law.

Conference participants were treated to several expert interventions, including a keynote lecture by Prof. Alain Pellet on the type of world order promoted by the practice of sanctions, a keynote speech by Judge Vasilka Sancin on sanctions and the European Convention on Human Rights, and a roundtable discussing effectiveness of sanctions against Russia and the forthcoming Elgar Encyclopedia of International Sanctions. The conference concluded with key insights on the future of sanctions by Prof. Jean d’Aspremont (Sciences Po), Prof. Larissa van den Herik (Leiden University), Prof. Cedric Ryngaert (Utrecht University), and Petra Mahnič (EU Council Legal Service).

More details on the conference, its programme and speakers are available here.