Greece, Australia, Finland and Sweden have introduced an initiative at the United Nations to review and update the system of sanctions that the international organisation uses to deal with multiple and increasing threats against world peace.

The initiative further involves the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University (Rhode Island) and the organisation Compliance and Capacity International.

According to the Permanent Mission of Greece to the UN, the review will take place between June and October this year. Three working groups - chaired by Australia, Sweden and Greece, respectively - will examine current practices of sanctions imposition and introduce proposals to enhance their effectiveness. The groups will co-operate with the UN Security Council, its specialists groups, the UN Secretariat, other organisations, as well as UN member-states.