Recommendation of the Week First, check out this blog post (and the table within it) to see how a Swedish bank got into trouble for compliance shortcomings and how you can use it as an opportunity to check your organization's compliance program. Monday, October 26 UK imposed asset freezing sanctions and travel bans against 15 senior commanders associated with the Rapid Support Forces, Sudanese Armed Forces and allied forces. The designations concern suspected violations of in

Recommendation of the Week This week, I would like to start with the recommendation section. If you are interested in how China is responding to the Western sanctions, do not miss this comprehensive report from Sanctrust on U.S.-China Economic Security Handbook. Monday, October 19 OFAC added Shanghai Zhisuan Technology Co Ltd, Qiji Chuangtan Beijing Investment Management Co Ltd (MiraclePlus), and three affiliated Beijing entities to its Non-SDN Menu-Based Sanctions List under

Monday, October 12 The EU Council imposed asset freezing sanctions against 743 individuals and 826 entities in Russia for supporting Russia’s military-industrial complex. The listings target companies and individuals involved in supplying components for missiles, drones, aircraft, and other military equipment. This was the EU’s largest single expansion of its sanctions listings since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. (Council’s announcement) The EU Council imposed asse

Monday, October 5 OFAC removed 125 individuals and entities from its sanctions lists and updated 22 additional list entries, the third round of removals under the sanctions modernization effort. The delisted parties include deceased individuals, defunct companies, and entries lacking enough identifying information for reliable compliance screening. (Here) OFAC alerted foreign financial institutions (FFIs) that continued business with Iran or its financial sector may expose th

Monday, September 28 The EU Council imposed asset freezing sanctions on ten individuals (Russian nationals) under its Russia human rights sanctions regime (Decision (CFSP) 2026/2192 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2193) for repression of democratic opposition and undermining democracy and the rule of law in Russia. The listings target judges, prosecutors and election and prosecutorial officials involved in barring the Yabloko party from the September 2026 State Duma ele

Monday, September 21 There was no major development on this day. Tuesday, September 22 The EU Council announced that it prolonged the restrictive measures under Regulation 269/2014 targeting those responsible for undermining Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence until 22 September 2029, maintaining travel bans, asset freezes, and the funds-availability prohibition against more than 3,000 listed individuals and entities. As part of the periodic review,

Monday, September 14 After speculations that followed the Secretary of the Treasury's announcement that the United States would impose sanction againsts a large bank under the U.S. sanctions against Iran, OFAC imposed blocking sanctions against VTB Bank under its Iran sanctions program (E.O. 13902) for operating in the financial sector of the Iranian economy, and for establishing correspondent banking relationships with sanctioned Iranian financial institutions and building a

Monday, September 7 There was no major development on this day. Tuesday, September 8 In a major development in the UK, the Iran (Sanctions) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 was laid in the UK Parliament. The legislation, which enters in force on 29 September imposes (previously announced) further sectoral sanctions on Iran, broadly corresponding to measures lifted by the UK and partners as part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.  It follows the UK complying with UN sancti

Monday, August 31 There was no major development on this day. Tuesday, September 1 There was no major development on this day. Wednesday, September 2 OFAC issued a reminder to file the Annual Report of Blocked Property (ARBP) as of June 30, 2026 no later than September 30, 2026. OFAC notes that failure to file the ARBP by September 30 may lead to an enforcement referral. (Here) OFAC amended three Venezuela-related general licenses under 31 CFR Part 591, effective September 2,

Monday, August 24 The European Commission updated its Russia sanctions FAQs across three areas: the Infrastructure Transaction Ban (Article 5ae, Reg. 833/2014), the Oil Price Cap (Article 3n, Reg. 833/2014), and the LNG Import Ban (Article 3ra, Reg. 833/2014) all reflecting changes introduced by Regulation (EU) 2026/1848 of 23 July 2026. (Here) The U.S. Departments of State and Treasury jointly launched "Operation Economic Outcast," an unprecedented whole-of-government sancti

Monday, August 17 There was no major development on this day. Tuesday, August 18 The U.S. State Department imposed blocking sanctions on two International Criminal Court (ICC) officials: President of the ICC and ICC Senior Trial Lawyer (Japan; Senegal) under its International Criminal Court-Related Sanctions Regulations pursuant to Executive Order 14203. The ICC-related designations targeted the officials for their roles in Court efforts to investigate, arrest, detain, or pro

Monday, August 10 The DOJ announced that a Chinese national pleaded guilty to violating the Arms Export Control Act after attempting to procure U.S.-origin military-grade satellite modems and radios for shipment to China without the required State Department license. Chen and co-conspirators explored transshipment routes through Switzerland, Saipan, and Mexico and used cryptocurrency, including approximately $30,000 in USDT, to facilitate the purchase. District Judge David Sa

Monday, August 3 The U.K.'s OTSI and Department for Business & Trade published guidance clarifying banknote export prohibitions under the Belarus and Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, confirming that exporting, supplying, or making available banknotes (including GBP, EUR, and six other currencies) to persons connected with Belarus or Russia, or for use there, remains prohibited, including transport by post or on one's person. A personal use exception permits up t

Monday, July 27 UK's ECJU published Notice to Exporters 2026/16 confirming that two UK exporters paid compound settlements of £216,530.30 and £20,889.15 in June 2026 for unlicensed exports of military-listed goods in breach of the Export Control Order 2008 and the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979. For context, compound settlements are offered by HMRC in lieu of prosecution where an exporter has voluntarily self-reported a breach and the violation was inadvertent or resu

Monday, July 20 The EU Council adopted Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/1767 amending Decision (CFSP) 2021/1277 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Lebanon. The amendment extends for another year through 31 July 2027, following a Council review that determined the existing restrictive measures should be renewed. There is no other substantive change. (Here) Tuesday, July 21 FinCEN Director Andrea Gacki testified before the House Financial Services Subcommit

Monday, July 13 OFSI extended General Licence INT/2025/6641960, which permits Non-DP Account Holders to transfer Investment Assets and Client Money out of brokerage accounts held at designated DP Brokers to non-designated brokers, has been extended by OFSI. The license, originally effective from 18 July 2025, was amended on 13 July 2026 to extend its expiry from 16 July 2026 to 16 July 2027, with all other permissions, conditions, and reporting requirements remaining unchange

Monday, July 6 The UK Government imposed asset freezing sanctions against seven individuals and two entities, all based in Russia, targeting directors, deputy directors, and senior scientific staff of SC Signal and the State Research Institute of Military Medicine (GNIII VM), both linked to the previously-designated (October 2020) State Research Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology (GosNIIOKhT), in connection with Russia's undeclared chemical weapons program and the

Monday, June 29 OFAC launched a new online Reconsideration Portal for the submission of requests to be removed from an OFAC sanctions list. OFAC announced that this portal is intended to streamline the petitions process by guiding submitters to provide necessary information upfront, rather than through a series of questionnaire/answer exchanges that can delay efficient adjudication of a delisting petition. Listed persons can also request certain unclassified, non-privileged i

You can now listen to the audio version of our weekly sanctions updates here. Monday, June 15 The EU Council adopted a comprehensive sanctions package consisting of 34 individuals and 47 entities in response to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, hybrid threats, and systematic human rights violations. The measures target Russia's military-industrial complex, its shadow fleet ecosystem used to circumvent energy sanctions, state propaganda networks, and those responsibl

You can now listen to the audio version of our weekly sanctions updates here. Monday, June 1 Over the weekend on May 31, 2026, France imposed asset-freezing sanctions against one individual under France's autonomous counter-terrorims sanctions regime. (Here) FTI Consulting, a Washington D.C.-based global advisory firm, settled with OFAC for $1,050,000 for apparent violations of the Ukraine-/Russia-Related Sanctions Regulations (URSR) under Directive 1 of E.O. 13662. The appar