The U.K. released guidance on how it collects data on its Russia sanctions regime. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office published sections on the sanctions' legislation, data collected "post invasion," individual designations, estimates of oligarchs' net worths, oligarchs' family members and sanctions on entities.
The U.K.'s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation released a General License June 10 permitting certain activity for retail banking services. The license permits non-designated individuals to use retail banking services of a sanctioned Russian or Belarusian credit or financial institution if the payments are made or received are meant for that individual's personal use and the total value of the payments made June 10 to Sept. 10 doesn't exceed $60,000. The license permits such action until Sept. 10. A relevant institution can process these payments, the license said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control renewed a Russia-related general license authorizing certain energy-related transactions with several Russian companies. General License 8C, which replaces GL 8B (see 2204060051), authorizes the transactions through 12:01 a.m. EST Dec. 5. The license was previously scheduled to expire June 24. OFAC updated its frequently asked questions to reflect the change.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control is soliciting comments concerning information collection activities required by the Iranian Financial Sanctions Regulations Report on Closure by U.S. Financial Institutions of Correspondent Accounts and Payable-Through Accounts. Comments are due by Aug. 15.
U.S.-based Hygienic Dress League Corp said it may have violated U.S. sanctions, according to a June 9 SEC filing. The company, which operates in the non-fungible-tokens sector, said it recently submitted a voluntary self-disclosure to the Office of Foreign Assets Control after it may have allowed its software to be downloaded by people or entities located in territories subject to U.S. trade embargoes. After learning of the potential violations, the company began an “internal review” and took “remedial action designed to prevent similar activity from occurring in the future,” the filing said. The disclosure is still under review by OFAC.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control issued General Licenses related to Syria, Iran and Venezuela, "Authorizing Certain Activities to Respond to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic," according to a June 10 notice.
Canada last week announced another set of Russia sanctions, including a ban on the export of 28 services “vital” for the operation of oil, gas and chemical industries. The ban also applies to technical, management, accounting and advertising services, Canada said. The country said the ban is meant to target Russia’s energy and chemical industry, which “accounts for about 50% of Russia’s federal budget revenues.” The sanctions took effect June 8.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on June 9 published new Russia-related frequently asked questions to clarify which activities are prohibited by its restrictions surrounding accounting, corporate formation and management consultant services (see 2205090042).
The State Department maintained its designation of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, a Federal Register notice said. The agency said circumstances haven’t changed “in such a manner as to warrant revocation of the designation.”
The Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a final rule this week that will officially loosen some Trump-era restrictions on Cuba, including on certain remittances to the island (see 2009230029 and 2010230024). The changes, previewed by the administration in May (see 2205170004) and effective June 9, will amend the Cuban Assets Control Regulations by removing the limit on family remittances of $1,000 per quarter. It will also authorize donative remittances to Cuba, remove restrictions on certain "academic educational activities," and allow travel to Cuba related to educational groups or professional meetings or conferences. The rule also made technical changes to the CACR by adding and updating "several cross references."