Targeted or “smart” sanctions directed against named individuals – such as those established by Security Council Resolution 1267 (1999) in the fight against al-Qaeda – have evolved into a mainstay of the United Nations’ (UN) collective security system, particularly in the fight against terrorism. With the Kadi appeal judgment, the European Court of Justice (ECJ), overruling the Kadi and Yusuf/Al Barakaat case-law of the European Court of First Instance (CFI), has defined the relation between EU and UN law in a classic dualistic way which is usually charactistic of nation-states. The Court also sent a message to the UN, proposing a secure transfer of information as a solution for the lack of effective human rights in the UN sanctions regime. However, it is questionable whether this could sufficiently replace an independent review system at the UN level.