How are EU member states, and entities under them, legally forced to apply EU imposed sanctions?
<p>Typically how is SWIFT the global payment network, which is under Belgian law, required legally to implement the EU sanctions?</p>

<p>Typically, nobody has to force it.</p>
<p>Somebody in the SWIFT organization, calls and holds a meeting of the board of directors, everyone on the board of directors votes as they are supposed to vote, and it happens, with implementation by the SWIFT organization's officers.</p>
<p>It is very unusual for a country with a say in the process to deviate from a direction to do so. Ultimately, if necessary, a lawsuit to compel action could be brought in an appropriate court, possibly a Belgian court, possibly an E.U. court, or possibly a court in the country of a recalcitrant delegate. But it is rare that this is necessary.</p>

european-union federalism