In 2023, the European Union continued to use economic sanctions as one of its foreign policy tools, and not only in response to Russia’s war in Ukraine. New sanctions and adjustments to existing regimes reflect the EU’s...more
The sanctions world experienced another action-packed year in 2023. Sanctions against Russia dominated the year in terms of the number of designations and new restrictions, and the attacks perpetrated by Hamas in Israel on 7...more
The past few weeks have not been kind to 3M. The company recently settled with the SEC for $6.5 million to resolve alleged FCPA violations related to its Chinese subsidiary’s dealings with Chinese state-owned healthcare...more
Over an eight-year period ending in 2018, Murad, a U.S. cosmetics company, illegally exported goods and services to Iran in 62 separate transactions worth approximately $11 million. Murad was acquired by Unilever United...more
We are pleased to announce that our team’s fourth-annual international trade law year-in-review report was published just before the New Year. In it, we take a detailed look at how 2022 played out and explore how 2023 might...more
Current Situation in Iran - A historic and powerful popular movement—led by women in response to the murder of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the Iranian Morality Police in mid-September—is currently unfolding in...more
This is the fifth post in this year’s series examining important trends in white collar law and investigations. Our previous post discussed trends in State AG enforcement. Up next: SEC Enforcement in 2022: A Look Ahead. ...more
Top EU Court Rules on the EU Blocking Regulation Against US Sanctions for the First Time - On December 21, 2021, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), sitting as a “Grand Chamber” (a formation used, among...more
As we approach year’s end, and the pace of legislative activity ramps up, it remains critical to keep a close eye on the sanctions-related bills currently making their way, at varying speeds, through the U.S. legislative...more
In May 2018 the United States announced the reinstitution of sanctions against Iran that had previously been lifted pursuant to the Joint Comprehensive Plan Action (“JCPOA”). The U.S. sanctions on Iran that were revived...more
Since President Biden took office and put his national security team in place, we have wondered about the future of the Iran Nuclear Deal. In the past weeks, the Biden Administration has taken formal steps to possibly restore...more
As we mentioned in the first part of our U.S. Sanctions Year in Review series, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) had an extraordinarily busy year in 2019, and its enforcement activity...more
The Situation: The Trump administration announced a new round of sanctions on January 10, 2020, following escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. The Result: The new sanctions complement existing sanctions...more
In a January 14th Executive Order, President Trump expanded sanctions on Iran after a ballistic missile attack on two American military bases in Iraq. Executive Order 13902 expands secondary sanctions on Iran to capture...more
With new Iran-related sanctions, the U.S. government is making good on threats to give third-country companies a choice – participate in the U.S. market or participate in the Iranian market. ...more
With tensions rising in the Persian Gulf, and Iran on the brink of pulling out of portions of the Iran nuclear deal, President Trump issued new Executive Order 13871 last Wednesday, May 8, 2019, imposing sanctions on Iran’s...more
On May 8, 2019, following Iran's announcement that it intends to suspend certain nuclear proliferation-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the United States issued a new Executive order...more
How should we approach competing sanctions risks? Among the numerous regulatory compliance risks faced by financial institutions, economic and trade sanctions risks commonly receive a great deal of attention....more
The following is Part II of this article. Secondary Sanctions – Requirements On Non-U.S. Parties That Have No Contacts With the U.S. OFAC also has adopted sanctions that specifically apply to non-U.S. companies and...more
In 2018, the United States continued to expand its sanctions programs and increase enforcement. While President Donald Trump’s decision to re-impose nuclear-related sanctions on Iran has perhaps drawn the most attention, key...more
Closing out 2018, OFAC announced its plan to lift sanctions against United Co. Rusal and others, despite bi-partisan opposition from Congress. Simultaneously, OFAC continued to target Russia’s defense and intelligence sectors...more
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Executive Summary - Developments and Trends in Policy and Enforcement - US Department of the Treasury - The Office of Foreign Assets Control - Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network -...more
Pursuant to the President’s May 8, 2018, memorandum announcing the United States’ withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)...more
On November 5, 2018 the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (“OFAC”) completed the process to re-impose the Iran sanctions program. The 180-day wind-down period for termination of the United States’...more
• As of November 5, 2018, the United States concluded the second of two wind-down periods for re-imposition of U.S. sanctions on Iran following the May 8, 2018, announcement that the United States would cease participation in...more