# Anti-Coercion Instrument

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European Union regulation adopted in 2023

Regulation 2023/2675 European Union regulation Title Regulation (EU) 2023/2675 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 November 2023 on protecting the Union and its Member States from economic coercion by third countries Applicability European Union Made by European Parliament and Council of the European Union Made under Article 207(2) TFEU Journal reference OJ L, 2023/2675, 7.12.2023 History European Parliament vote 3 October 2023 Council Vote 22 November 2023 Date made 22 November 2023 Entry into force 27 December 2023 Applies from 27 December 2023 Preparative texts Commission proposal COM(2021) 775 final – 2021/0406(COD) Reports A9-0246/2022 Current legislation

The **Anti-Coercion Instrument** (**ACI**), nicknamed the **trade bazooka**,[1] is a regulation of the [European Union](/source/European_Union) proposed in December 2021,[2] adopted in November 2023, and that entered into force on 27 December 2023.[3][4] It aims to protect the EU and its member states from [economic coercion](/source/Economic_coercion) by third countries[5] and provides a framework for EU action, including examination, engagement, and the adoption of countermeasures.[4]

Combining security policy and [trade policy](/source/Trade_policy), it is a defence and [deterrence](/source/Deterrence_theory) tool designed to prevent [coercion](/source/Coercion_(international_relations)) by creating penalties for whichever country is performing the coercion.[6] Analytically, one conference proceeding from 2025 introduces the term "geo-legality" to describe how the EU deploys its legal-normative authority, including the ACI, as leverage to counter external (economic) pressure.[a][7]: 138, 142–143

Among the coercive measures against which it could be used are [boycotts](/source/Boycott) and [trade restrictions](/source/Trade_restriction).[8] In addition, an earlier version of the ACI contained proposed mechanisms for compensation to affected member states; the final Instrument, instead, provides a framework for seeking reparation from the coercing country.[2]

The ACI had originally been developed primarily as a deterrence tool against [China](/source/China).[9] As of January 2026, the ACI has not yet been used.[10] In 2026, EU leaders are weighing its potential first use against the [United States](/source/United_States) in response to the [Greenland crisis](/source/Greenland_crisis).[11] The [Agreement on Reciprocal, Fair, and Balanced Trade](/source/Agreement_on_Reciprocal%2C_Fair%2C_and_Balanced_Trade), an asymmetrical free trade agreement with the United States, was put on hold by EU leaders in response.[12]

## Background

The ACI was designed in part to address the requirement for unanimous consent among EU member states when adopting certain trade-restrictive measures. Under the Instrument, the veto power is removed for these cases, and trade restrictions in response to coercion are now adopted through two [qualified majority votes](/source/Qualified_majority_vote).[6][2] Episodes of pressure on the EU and its member states, such as United States sanctions against companies involved in constructing the [Nord Stream 2](/source/Nord_Stream_2) pipeline around 2019[2][13] and the implementation of [steel and aluminum tariffs in 2018](/source/Tariffs_in_the_first_Trump_administration#Steel_and_aluminum),[8] also informed debate on the Instrument. Another important driver was [China](/source/China)'s use of trade restrictions against countries such as [Lithuania](/source/Lithuania) and [Norway](/source/Norway).[2][14]

As early as in 2021, notably, Lithuania permitted [Taiwan](/source/Taiwan) to open the [Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania](/source/Taiwanese_Representative_Office_in_Lithuania), after which China responded with wide-ranging trade measures; this situation has been described as catalyzing the development of the ACI.[7]

Alternatively, the *New York Times* has linked the Instrument's use to the [Belarus–European Union border crisis](/source/Belarus%E2%80%93European_Union_border_crisis), during which [Belarus](/source/Belarus) threatened to shut down [natural gas](/source/Natural_gas) shipments to the European Union.[8]

## Procedure

Under the regulation, "economic coercion" refers to a situation in which a third country seeks to pressure the European Union or a member state into making a particular policy choice by applying, or threatening to apply, measures affecting trade or investment.[4] The procedure is activated when the [European Commission](/source/European_Commission) examines a potential case of coercion, either on its own initiative or following a substantiated request, and then submits a proposal to the [Council of the European Union](/source/Council_of_the_European_Union) to determine whether economic coercion exists.[4][14] If the Council, acting by qualified majority, confirms that coercion is taking place, the Commission engages with the third country to seek a resolution, including through negotiations, mediation, or adjudication.[4] If those efforts fail, the EU may adopt "response measures" such as [tariffs](/source/Customs_duties), restrictions on trade in goods and services, limits on access to public programmes and financial markets, or measures affecting [intellectual property](/source/Intellectual_property) rights and foreign direct investment.[4][14] These restrictions can be targeted at states, companies, or individuals, thereby deploying EU legal authority as leverage. Through a "geo-legal" lens, then, this pattern of legal responses situates the ACI within a broader EU toolkit of counter-coercive instruments.[7]: 136, Table 3

## Proposed uses

### Greenland crisis

As of January 2026[\[update\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anti-Coercion_Instrument&action=edit), [French President](/source/President_of_France) [Emmanuel Macron](/source/Emmanuel_Macron) has urged the EU to consider the use of the Anti-Coercion Instrument in regard of tariffs imposed on some EU members by [US president](/source/President_of_the_United_States) [Donald Trump](/source/Donald_Trump) as part of Trump's proposal for a forced [United States annexation of Greenland](/source/Greenland_crisis), which is a part of the [Danish Realm](/source/Danish_Realm).[15]

### British response

On 26 April 2026, the [British Chambers of Commerce](/source/British_Chambers_of_Commerce) called on the UK government to create its own "trade bazooka" to protect British economic interests in response to tariff threats from US President [Donald Trump](/source/Donald_Trump). The lobby group argued that the UK's "inadequate economic security" was putting growth and jobs at risk, and urged ministers to adopt legislation similar to the EU's Anti-Coercion Instrument.[16]

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-VartanianMethod_7-0)** Namely, Vartanian (2025) reports drawing on a [Delphi-style](/source/Delphi_method) consultation with twenty-three EU institutional officials and experts, including participants from the [European Commission](/source/European_Commission)'s [Legal Service and Directorate-General for Trade](/source/Directorate-General_for_Legal_Service), to inform an account of how EU institutions understand and might operationalize counter-coercive tools such as the ACI when responding to pressure by China, the United States, and other third countries.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Hawser, Anita (7 April 2025). ["How the EU's 'trade bazooka' could impact banks"](https://www.thebanker.com/content/f13b0b78-e8e0-4d72-a848-125af9261de1). *[The Banker](/source/The_Banker)*. Retrieved 13 July 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:2_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:2_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:2_2-4) ["Effective Deterrence? The Coming European Anti-Coercion Instrument"](https://www.institutmontaigne.org/en/expressions/effective-deterrence-coming-european-anti-coercion-instrument). *Institut Montaigne*. Retrieved 2025-04-09.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:0_3-0)** ["EU Prepares to Counter US Tariffs with Anti-Coercion Instrument"](https://natlawreview.com/article/eus-foremost-economic-retaliation-device-anti-coercion-instrument). *National Law Review*. Retrieved 2025-04-09.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-EC-ACI_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-EC-ACI_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-EC-ACI_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-EC-ACI_4-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-EC-ACI_4-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-EC-ACI_4-5) ["Protecting against coercion"](https://policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/enforcement-and-protection/protecting-against-coercion_en). *European Commission*. Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security. Retrieved 14 November 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [third country](https://ec.europa.eu/assets/home/emn-glossary/glossary.html?letters=u&detail=third+country)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_6-1) ["The EU's New Anti-Coercion Instrument Will Be a Success if It Isn't Used"](https://ip-quarterly.com/en/eus-new-anti-coercion-instrument-will-be-success-if-it-isnt-used). *Internationale Politik Quarterly*. Retrieved 2025-04-09.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:4_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:4_8-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:4_8-2) Vartanian, Peter H. (2025). "EU (Legal) Statecraft in an Age of Coercion". *Proceedings of the Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union*. Vol. 2025. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.5642/urceu.VGLR6395](https://doi.org/10.5642%2Furceu.VGLR6395).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:3_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:3_9-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:3_9-2) Pronczuk, Monika (2021-12-08). ["Proposal Would Allow E.U. to Retaliate Against Economic Pressure"](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/08/world/europe/eu-sanctions-economic-retaliation.html). *The New York Times*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0362-4331](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). Retrieved 2025-04-09.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["EU considers retaliatory measures over Trump Greenland tariff 'blackmail'"](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/18/europe-diplomats-crisis-talks-trump-tariffs-greenland). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 18 January 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["What is the EU anti-coercion 'bazooka' it could use against the US over Greenland?"](https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20260119-what-is-eu-anti-coercion-instrument-could-use-against-us-over-trump-greenland-tariffs). *[France24](/source/France24)*. January 19, 2026. Retrieved January 19, 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["After Trump Reignites a Trade War Over Greenland, Europe Weighs Going All-Out"](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/18/world/europe/greenland-us-trade-war.html). *The New York Times*. Retrieved 18 January 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Mancini, Ryan (2026-01-17). ["US-EU trade deal in jeopardy over Trump's new tariffs"](https://thehill.com/policy/international/5694469-european-union-trade-deal-trump-tariffs/). *The Hill*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20260118052141/https://thehill.com/policy/international/5694469-european-union-trade-deal-trump-tariffs/) from the original on 2026-01-18. Retrieved 2026-01-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Nord Stream 2: Trump approves sanctions on Russia gas pipeline"](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50875935). 2019-12-21. Retrieved 2025-04-09.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CELIS_15-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CELIS_15-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-CELIS_15-2) Tzifa, Georgia; Shulha, Mariia (19 May 2025). ["The EU Anti-Coercion Regulation: A New Tool Against Economic Pressure"](https://www.celis.institute/celis-blog/the-eu-anti-coercion-regulation-a-new-tool-against-economic-pressure/). *CELIS Institute*. Retrieved 14 November 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Macron urges EU to deploy trade 'bazooka' against US as Trump ramps up tensions"](https://www.politico.eu/article/hit-back-donald-trump-europe-mulls-unthinkable-options-greenland-threats-ramp-up-tensions/). *POLITICO*. 2026-01-18. Retrieved 2026-01-18.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Partington, Richard (26 April 2026). ["UK urged to deploy EU-style 'trade bazooka' against Trump's tariffs"](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/apr/26/uk-urged-deploy-eu-style-trade-bazooka-trump-tariffs). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 27 April 2026.

## External links

- [Regulation (EU) 2023/2675 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 November 2023 on the protection of the Union and its Member States from economic coercion by third countries](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02023R2675-20231207)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Anti-Coercion Instrument](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Coercion_Instrument) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Coercion_Instrument?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.