Jan Lepeu

Jan Lepeu is a Researcher at the Department of Political and Social Sciences at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence, Italy. A dual national of France and Switzerland, Lepeu joined the EUI as part of the 2020 cohort and is actively engaged in research on international relations with a specific focus on European Union foreign policy mechanisms.

Lepeu's research primarily centers on international sanctions as instruments of EU foreign policy, with particular attention to how sanctioning practices have evolved as core components of European diplomatic strategy. His doctoral work examines the genealogy of international sanctioning as an EU foreign policy practice, supervised by Jeffrey T. Checkel with Stephanie Hofmann as co-supervisor. His research interests span international relations theory, foreign policy analysis, EU external relations, and the role of Europe in global affairs, with a specialized focus on the political dimensions of international sanctions.

Lepeu's scholarly output demonstrates a consistent trajectory examining how the European Commission has increasingly assumed architectural responsibility for EU foreign policy, particularly evident in his 2025 article analyzing Ukraine-related sanctions. His earlier 2019 work on the symbolic functions of European restrictive measures reveals his interest in both the practical and representational dimensions of sanctioning policies. This research contributes to broader academic conversations about the evolving nature of EU power projection and diplomatic influence in international relations.

As a researcher at one of Europe's premier institutions for advanced studies in the social sciences, Lepeu participates in the vibrant academic community focused on European integration, governance, and international relations. His work intersects with several key research themes at EUI, particularly those related to EU external relations, international governance, and the evolving role of European institutions in global politics.