In a globalised business world, compliance with sanctions and embargo lists is mandatory for companies. Under the legal regulations, every company is obliged to ensure that no business relationships are entered into with companies and persons recorded on a valid sanctions list.
The origin of the sanctions lists lies in the USA's response to international terrorism in the wake of the 11 September attacks. The European Union, the United Nations, Germany and many other states subsequently joined in the enactment of sanctions lists, with the aim of cutting off the economic and financial resources of international terrorism. Political developments, as can be seen in the example of the Ukraine conflict, ensure that further sanctions lists are enacted and existing lists are updated regularly.