On November 22, 2022, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) published a determination pursuant to Executive Order 14071 (EO 14071) (the Determination) and a guidance on the implementation of the price cap policy for
International Compliance Blog
The International Compliance Blog, published by Steptoe LLP, focuses on developments in international sanctions, export controls, and anti-money laundering regulations. It covers topics such as US and UK sanctions regimes, enforcement actions, regulatory proposals affecting financial institutions and investment advisers, and guidance on compliance risks related to global trade and financial transactions. The blog also discusses government policies on export controls, voluntary self-disclosure programs, and the impact of sanctions on specific sectors like oil shipping and financial markets. It serves as a resource for understanding compliance obligations and enforcement trends in the context of international economic sanctions and regulatory frameworks.
Latest from International Compliance Blog - Page 9
UK Government Publishes Guidance on the UK Ban on Oil and Oil Products
On November 21, 2022, the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy published guidance on the UK ban on Russian oil and oil products intended for entry into the UK (the “BEIS Guidance”) that was legislated for by the…
OFSI Publishes Guidance on the UK Maritime Services Prohibition and Oil Price Cap
On November 14, 2022, HM Treasury’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (“OFSI”) published detailed guidance on the recently published ban on the provision of maritime transportation of Russian oil and oil products and related services (“OFSI Guidance”). The OFSI Guidance…
CFIUS Announces First Ever Enforcement and Penalty Guidelines
On October 20, 2022, the US Department of the Treasury (Treasury) issued, for the first time, Enforcement and Penalty Guidelines (Guidelines) for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS or the Committee). The Guidelines describe three categories…
New UK Russia Sanctions Legislation Bans the Maritime Transport of Russian Oil
On November 3, 2022, a sixteenth amendment to the UK’s Russia sanctions regime was laid before parliament. The Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 16) Regulations 2022 (“Amendment 16”) introduces a ban on UK ships and services such as insurance,…
US Government Imposes New Sanctions and Visa Restrictions on Nicaragua
On October 24, the White House announced that President Biden signed Executive Order (EO) 14088 (amending EO 13851) which substantially expands the Nicaragua sanctions program with sectoral sanctions authorities, exposing individuals and entities operating in identified sectors to blocking…
New UK Russia Sanctions Legislation Amends Loan and Credit Restrictions; Expands the Range of Items Targeted by Existing Trade Prohibitions; and Introduces New Trade Prohibitions on Liquefied Natural Gas, Items Critical to the Functioning of Russia’s Economy and Certain Gold Items
On October 28, 2022, further amendments to the UK’s Russia sanctions regime were laid before parliament. The new measures introduced under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) (No. 15) Regulations 2022 (“Amendment 15”) include an expansion of the ban on…
OFAC and FinCEN Announce Enforcement Actions Against Bittrex
On October 11, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced enforcement actions against Bittrex, Inc. (Bittrex), a privately-owned digital asset trading platform based in Bellevue, Washington, for…
BIS Issues Expansive New Rules Targeting China
On October 7, 2022, in a move that was hailed by senior U.S. government officials as a paradigm shift in U.S. export controls policy toward China, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued an interim final…
OFSI Imposes Eighth Monetary Penalty on Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Competition Ltd.
On September 27, 2022, HM Treasury’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (“OFSI”) announced that a monetary penalty of £30,000 was imposed on April 26, 2022 against Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Competition Ltd. (“HKIWSC”) for breaches of the Ukraine…