Anti-Coercion Instrument
Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI) is an EU regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/2675) created to protect the EU and its member states from economic pressure by third countries. It was proposed in December 2021, adopted in November 2023, and came into force on 27 December 2023.
How it works:
- When another country tries to pressure the EU by using trade or investment measures, the European Commission investigates.
- If the Commission finds evidence of coercion, it asks the Council to decide, by a qualified majority, that coercion is taking place.
- If the Council confirms coercion, the Commission engages with the coercing country to resolve the issue through negotiations, mediation, or adjudication.
- If those efforts fail, the EU can impose “response measures” such as tariffs, trade restrictions, limits on access to EU programs or financial markets, or actions affecting intellectual property rights or foreign direct investment. These measures can target the country, companies, or individuals.
A key feature is that the veto power is removed for these cases, so measures are adopted through two rounds of qualified majority voting.
The aim of the ACI is to deter coercion by combining security and trade policy, helping the EU act in a coordinated way to defend its interests and unity.
Context: The instrument was shaped by past examples of economic pressure and is designed to provide a clear, collective EU response when needed. As of early 2026, it had not yet been used.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 16:19 (CET).