What are trade sanctions?

Trade sanctions are measures intended to restrict or regulate trade between countries, typically imposed by one country or a group of countries against another. These sanctions can take various forms, such as import or export bans, restrictions on specific goods, or other limitations aimed at influencing political or economic behavior.

The focus of these sanctions is to apply economic pressure on the targeted nation to achieve specific objectives, such as promoting human rights, addressing security concerns, or discouraging aggressive actions. This understanding highlights the purpose and utility of trade sanctions in international relations, especially in contexts where diplomatic efforts have failed.

The other options, while they pertain to trade in some way, do not accurately describe what trade sanctions are. Laws that promote free trade or agreements to eliminate trade barriers, for instance, facilitate trade rather than restrict it. Policies that add tariffs to exported goods may describe a form of trade regulation but do not capture the broader intent of sanctioning a country for particular behaviors.