This study analyzes the impact of France, Britain and Germany on European Union sanction policy on China. The study argues that Britain, France and Germany affect the EU sanction policy on China through bottom-up and horizontal Europeanization due to their historic and strategic ties to the PRC and their predominance in the armament industry. The study specifically reviews the case of the handling of the lift of the arms embargo between 2003 and 2005, imposed on the wake of the Tiananmen Square Massacre in 1989. The methodology combines a questionnaire, addressed to defense and foreign affairs officials from the three member states and EU officials, press articles, interviews and speeches and applies three theories about responses to Europeanization. The study found that The Big Three influence the agenda-setting and policy formulation by uploading their policy preferences but cannot implement those policies if they conflict with US interests
