New sanctions prohibit Russian energy product imports, investments in Russia’s energy sector, and dealings with dozens more Russia-related parties, and impose broader trade restrictions.
This Client Alert is published in...more
3/14/2022
/ Biden Administration ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Energy Sector ,
Entity List ,
Executive Orders ,
Foreign Relations ,
General Licenses ,
Imports ,
Russia ,
SDN List ,
Trade Restrictions ,
Ukraine
New rules significantly expand the scope of existing sanctions on Russia and impose extensive new export controls.
This Client Alert is published in the context of fast-moving developments and should be read in...more
The court explains how the controversial EU law operates to bar EU persons from complying with US sanctions on Iran and Cuba.
On 21 December 2021, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) released its long-awaited...more
The DOJ’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team and Treasury’s OFAC are setting their sights on cryptocurrency use in cybercrimes.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is sharpening its focus on combatting...more
10/29/2021
/ Blockchain ,
Compliance ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Enforcement ,
Enforcement Authority ,
Financial Crimes ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Ransomware ,
SDN List ,
U.S. Treasury ,
Virtual Currency
A sovereign nation’s decision to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender raises interesting questions — and legal ramifications.
On June 8, 2021, El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly voted to establish Bitcoin as unrestricted legal...more
6/25/2021
/ Article 9 ,
Banking Sector ,
Bitcoin ,
CFTC ,
Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) ,
Cryptocurrency ,
El Salvador ,
Exchange-Traded Products ,
Financial Action Task Force ,
Foreign Currency ,
IRS ,
Money Transfer ,
Multinationals ,
New Legislation ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)
With the new administration poised to take office, public and private companies will need to consider how President Biden’s regulatory, enforcement, and legislative priorities will affect their businesses. During this...more
2/17/2021
/ Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) ,
Antitrust Provisions ,
Biden Administration ,
Broadband ,
CFIUS ,
Climate Change ,
Commodities ,
Congressional Oversight ,
Cybersecurity ,
Data Privacy ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
FCC ,
Health Care Providers ,
Investigations ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Life Sciences ,
Net Neutrality ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Sanctions ,
Securities Regulation ,
White Collar Crimes
Regulators once again offered piecemeal guidance, while focusing on risks and enforcement. Meanwhile, innovation and institutional adoption took off. Last year, Latham & Watkins sounded a hopeful note that 2020 would provide...more
1/22/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDCs) ,
CFTC ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Federal Reserve ,
FinCEN ,
No-Action Letters ,
OCC ,
Popular ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Safe Harbors ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Tokens ,
Token Sales
A new proposal would subject financial institutions and exchanges to onerous recordkeeping and reporting requirements for certain digital currency transactions.
In a surprise release in the waning days of the Trump...more
1/15/2021
/ Anti-Money Laundering ,
Bank Secrecy Act ,
Bitcoin ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Ether ,
Financial Institutions ,
FinCEN ,
Money Services Business ,
National Security ,
NDAA ,
Popular ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Terrorism Funding ,
Virtual Currency
Expanded compliance obligations will have far-reaching implications for regulated financial institutions and most companies operating in the US.
On January 1, 2021, Congress overrode President Trump’s veto and enacted the...more
1/6/2021
/ Anti-Money Laundering ,
Bank Secrecy Act ,
Beneficial Owner ,
Congressional Override ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Financial Institutions ,
FinCEN ,
Foreign Banks ,
NDAA ,
Patriot Act ,
Presidential Veto ,
Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) ,
Whistleblower Protection Policies
The new rules are set to go in effect when the UK leaves the European Union on 31 December at 11 p.m. GMT.
The United Kingdom’s transition period for withdrawing from the European Union is scheduled to end on 31 December...more
US Department of Justice’s sprawling report reveals regulatory enforcement priorities for cryptocurrencies and highlights multi-agency cooperation.
On October 8, 2020, the US Attorney General’s Cyber-Digital Task Force of...more
10/20/2020
/ AML/CFT ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement ,
Financial Regulatory Agencies ,
Information Reports ,
Popular ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Strategic Enforcement Plan ,
Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs)
The UK imposes travel bans and financial sanctions on eight Belarusian officials - including Belarus’ President.
On 29 September 2020, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on eight Belarusian officials it considers to have...more
Supply chain, end use, and human rights–related sanctions, export controls, and Entity List designations target public and private entities in China.
Human rights–related designations -
The US government has...more
The regulations will enable the UK government to sanction persons “involved” in human rights abuses — potentially anywhere in the world.
On 6 July 2020, the UK Foreign Secretary announced the introduction of the Global...more
The penalty reflects the increasingly active approach in the UK to the enforcement of sanctions breaches.
The UK’s financial sanctions regulator, HM Treasury’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), has...more
Nach einem heute beschlossenen Gesetz werden Mieter vor Kündigungen durch Vermieter geschützt, die in vielen Fällen keinen ähnlichen Schutz vor einer Kündigung ihrer Finanzierung erhalten.
Gesetz zur Änderung des deutschen...more
Under a law passed by parliament today, tenants will be protected against termination by landlords who will in many cases not receive such protection for their financing.
Amendment to German lease law -
In view of the...more
The revised policy both clarifies and expands DOJ’s prior disclosure guidance.
On December 13, 2019, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) revised its policy regarding voluntary self-disclosures (VSDs) of...more
New restrictions prohibit dealings between US persons and the Government of Venezuela.
On August 5, 2019, President Trump issued Executive Order (E.O.) 13884, entitled “Blocking the Property of the Government of...more
BIS designates Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. and certain of its affiliates to the Entity List, restricting their ability to receive US products, software, and technology.
On May 16, 2019, the US Commerce Department’s...more
5/24/2019
/ Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Cybersecurity ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Entity List ,
Executive Orders ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Export Controls ,
Exports ,
General Licenses ,
Huawei ,
Telecommunications ,
U.S. Commerce Department
OFAC outlines baseline considerations for evaluating a risk-based sanctions compliance program.
On May 2, 2019, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) published A Framework for OFAC Compliance...more
5/9/2019
/ Audits ,
Black & Decker ,
Chief Compliance Officers ,
Compliance ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Corporate Management ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Internal Controls ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Risk Assessment ,
Training
Trump Administration breaks with precedent to allow US plaintiffs to bring “trafficking” suits under Title III of the Helms-Burton Act.
Title III of the Helms-Burton Act (the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity...more
OFAC adds PdVSA to its sanctions list and simultaneously issues general licenses temporarily allowing certain transactions and activities involving PdVSA.
On January 28, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign...more
OFAC added several parties to the SDN List and simultaneously issued a General License, authorizing certain wind-down activities until January 8, 2020.
Today, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control...more
Withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement triggers full implementation of US sanctions, including threat of “secondary” sanctions on non-US persons dealing with Iran.
As reported in the Latham Client Alert dated May 10,...more
11/6/2018
/ Economic Sanctions ,
EU ,
Financial Institutions ,
Foreign Financial Institutions (FFI) ,
Foreign Policy ,
General Licenses ,
Iran Sanctions ,
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
SDN List ,
Secondary Sanctions ,
Trump Administration