29 IV. Committee decision-making When the Security Council establishes a sanctions regime, it delegates significant authority to the sanctions committee to take decisions affecting the scope and application of those measures. The committees’ decision-making authority affects Member States, as well as individuals and entities, each category giving rise to issues related to strategic impact, efficiency and fairness. A. Affecting member states Committees’ responsiveness when making operational decisions affecting sanctions regimes, such as requests to exempt transactions from sanctions, are potentially sensitive issues in terms of timeliness and explanations for negative decisions. The Review heard that, particularly in relation to exemptions under arms embargoes, unexplained committee decisions to refuse exemptions for arms considered by the focus State to be critical to its security can lead to frustration and an erosion of the political support for the sanctions regime as a whole. Committee decision-making affecting States will be more efficient and less contentious if there is a continuous dialogue as to the scope of and procedure for exemptions between the committee and the affected State. For example, a committee could consult with a State subject to an arms embargo to determine in advance which arms and related materiel were permissible for the State under exemption and clarify the specific categories eligible for exemption. 19. Sanctions committees should engage with key stakeholders and ensure that technical and procedural issues are also discussed.