The Sanctions Playbook: How the EU’s Plan Against Israel Would Unfold

If the European Union’s 27 member states approve the proposal, a well-defined sanctions playbook would be activated, setting in motion a series of legal and financial actions designed to translate political will into tangible pressure.
The first step for the individual sanctions would be the formal publication of the names of the targeted individuals—such as Itamar Ben-Gvir, Bezalel Smotrich, and the listed Israeli settlers and Hamas leaders—in the EU’s Official Journal. This act legally triggers the sanctions across the entire bloc.
Immediately, all banks and financial institutions within the EU would be required to freeze any funds, assets, or economic resources belonging to these individuals. This includes bank accounts, stocks, and property. Violating these asset freezes carries heavy penalties for the financial institutions involved.
Simultaneously, a travel ban would come into effect. The named individuals would be denied entry into or transit through any EU member state. Their details would be entered into the Schengen Information System, the shared database used by border guards across the antechamber of free movement.
For the trade tariffs, the process would involve changing the customs codes for the designated Israeli goods. Importers bringing these products into the EU would be required to pay the new WTO-level duties at the point of entry. This would be a more complex administrative task, managed by the national customs authorities of the 27 member states, but a process for which the EU has a well-established playbook.