Two recent pronouncements indicate that enforcement risks around dealing with criminal narcotics trafficking organizations in Latin America continue to increase. We expect the Trump Administration to continue to focus on designating such organizations as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (“FTOs”), sanctioning their
Sanctions & Export Controls Update
The Sanctions & Export Controls Update blog, published by Baker McKenzie, focuses on legal developments and regulatory changes related to international sanctions and export control regimes. It covers topics such as updates on sanctions imposed by governments and international bodies, compliance requirements for businesses, enforcement actions, licensing procedures, and the impact of sanctions on cross-border trade and transactions. The blog also addresses specific country sanctions, dual-use goods regulations, and coordinated international sanctions efforts, providing insights relevant to multinational corporations, legal practitioners, and compliance professionals navigating complex sanctions landscapes.
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Latest from Sanctions & Export Controls Update
US President Signs Russia and Iran Sanctions Bill with New Tariff Powers
President Trump signed the much-anticipated Russia (and Iran) sanctions bill into law on Friday, September 18, 2026. The final text of H.R. 5334 is available here.
In Brief
It has been a long journey since Senator Lindsey Graham introduced…
EU Commission Adopts 2026 Delegated Regulation Updating Annex I of the EU Dual-Use Regulation
On September 14, 2026, the EU Commission adopted a Delegated Regulation updating Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2021/821 (“EU Dual-Use Regulation”). Although the changes have not yet entered into force, the Delegated Regulation sets out the expected amendments to the…
National Security Science and Technology Strategy Highlights Expanded Role for Export Controls, Investment Screening, and Data Security
On August 20, 2026, the White House released the National Security Science and Technology Strategy (“NSSTS“), which establishes the Trump administration’s framework for maintaining US technological leadership and protecting critical and emerging technologies. The NSSTS is organized around four pillars:…
UK announces new sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank alongside allies
On 8 September 2026, the UK government designated five settlers under the existing Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020 and announced that it will introduce a new sanctions regime targeting settlements in the occupied West Bank over the next six to nine months, under the powers conferred…
Argentina strengthens oversight of hydrocarbon activities related to the Falkland Islands
In brief
On September 4, 2026, the Argentine Executive Branch issued Executive Order No. 868/2026 (the “Executive Order”), introducing new measures to strengthen the enforcement of Law No. 26,659 regarding hydrocarbon activities on the Argentine Continental Shelf. This law not…
OFAC Expands Iran Sanctions Under “Operation Economic Outcast”
On August 24, 2026, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) launched Operation Economic Outcast, a campaign that OFAC has characterized as an “economic D-Day” against Iran. The action follows OFAC’s earlier “Economic Fury” campaign…
OFAC Removes the US Governing-Law Condition from the Venezuela General Licenses and Issues New Authorizations Related to Telecommunications and Coal
Since August 21, 2026, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC“) has made a series of changes to the Venezuela-related general licenses (“GLs“) issued under the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 591 (“VSR“). OFAC…
US Government Issues Executive Order 14420 to Secure US Bulk-Power System
On August 26, 2026, President Trump issued Executive Order 14420, “Declaring a National Emergency to Secure the United States Bulk-Power System” (“EO 14420“), which aims to prevent certain foreign actors from creating or exploiting vulnerabilities in foreign-produced equipment used…
United States Streamlines Drone Export Controls While Imposing New Section 232 Tariffs on Drone Imports
On August 13, 2026, the Trump Administration introduced a combination of trade measures intended to expand export opportunities for US unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV or drone) manufacturers while increasing incentives to source and produce drone technologies in the United States.…