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European policy makers have announced that they will begin work on a universal human rights law, such as the Magnitsky Act in the United States, which was first passed in 2012.
The European Union approved the sanctions regime, which will be formally launched next December, ending a decade of divided governments, parliaments and political parties, according to the American Wall Street Journal.
The new law will pave the way for European Union governments to coordinate sanctions with the United States as President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office.
It is unclear how the European Union would impose sanctions, especially since the European Union makes foreign policy decisions unanimously.
Bill Browder, the US lawmaker who led the Magnitsky legislative process in Washington and Europe, expressed concern about the consensus requirement in Europe, which would make decisions on sanctions nearly impossible.
Officials fear pressure from Europe to impose sanctions on people from countries like China or Iran, where the European Union has important economic and political relations with them.
The new penal system will target the perpetrators of serious human rights violations, allowing the European Union to impose travel bans and freeze the assets of those responsible.
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