Handelsexpert: Tullhotet kan slå tillbaka mot USA

The Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI), also called the trade bazooka, is a regulation of the European Union proposed in December 2021, adopted in November 2023, and entering into force on 27 December 2023. It aims to protect the EU and its Member States from economic coercion by third countries and provides a framework for EU action, including examination, engagement, and the adoption of countermeasures. Combining security policy and trade policy, it is a defence and deterrence tool designed to prevent coercion by creating penalties for whichever country is performing the coercion. 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. Among the coercive measures against which it could be used are boycotts and trade restrictions. An earlier version of the ACI contained proposed mechanisms for compensation to affected Member States; yet, the final Instrument instead provides a framework for seeking reparation from the coercing country. As of November 2025, it has not been used.