Sanctions (OFAC)

Key Points:

  • Long-arm of U.S. sanctions jurisdiction reaches conduct by European company.
  • Violation involved shipment to Iran from Australia, a close U.S. ally.

On December 3, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that Aiotec GmbH, a German supplier of industrial equipment for the energy sector, agreed to pay $14,550,000 to settle its potential civil liability for violating the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR). The settlement agreement can be found here. The press release can be found here.Continue Reading German Company Pays $14.55 Million to Settle Violations of U.S. Sanctions on Iran

On March 14, the U.S. Treasury Department, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that EFG International AG (EFG), a Switzerland-based bank, had agreed to pay roughly $3.74 million to settle allegations that it had violated multiple U.S. sanctions regimes. Continue Reading Swiss Finance Company to Pay Almost $4 Million for Sanctions Violations

On July 26, the Department of Commerce, Department of the Treasury, and Department of Justice released a Tri-Seal Compliance Note (July Note) providing guidance on voluntary self-disclosure of potential violations of U.S. sanctions, export controls, and other national security laws. Continue Reading Tri-Seal Compliance Note on Voluntary Self-Disclosure Released by Departments of Commerce, Justice, and Treasury

The Bass, Berry & Sims international trade team is actively monitoring the situation in Russia and Ukraine and providing real-time advice to clients on managing the situation. This post summarizes new U.S. sanctions and export restrictions as of Monday, October 3. This post supplements our previous summaries, which are available by following the links at the end of this blog post.

Commerce Adds Iranian Aircraft to List of Aircraft Operated in Violation of the EAR

On September 19, the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) updated its growing list of aircraft that have flown into Russia and/or Belarus in apparent violation of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). As discussed previously, these aircraft are essentially off limits for any person to service (or operate), given that nearly any dealing with respect to such an aircraft would violate General Prohibition 10 of the EAR.Continue Reading Russia, Ukraine: Update as of October 3

The Bass, Berry & Sims international trade team is actively monitoring the situation in Russia and Ukraine and providing real-time advice to clients on managing the situation. This post summarizes new U.S. sanctions and export restrictions as of Tuesday, August 9. This post supplements our previous summaries, which are available by following the links at the end of this blog post.

Treasury Targets Broad Range of Entities in Recent Round of Sanctions

On August 2, acting pursuant to Executive Order 14024, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions designating members of the Russian elite, a multinational corporation, and sanctions evaders.Continue Reading Russia, Ukraine: Update as of August 9

The Bass, Berry & Sims international trade team is actively monitoring the situation in Russia and Ukraine and providing real-time advice to clients on managing the situation. This post summarizes new U.S. sanctions and export restrictions as of Thursday, July 7. This post supplements our previous summaries, which are available by following the links at the end of this blog post.

Commerce Department Continues to Target Airlines, Entities; OFAC Extends Sanctions to New Parties, Imports of Gold

On June 24, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued Temporary Denial Orders (TDOs) against an additional three Russian airlines: Nordwind Airlines, Pobeda Airlines, and S7 Airlines. BIS cited apparent ongoing violations of the comprehensive export controls imposed on Russia. Under these TDOs, the airlines are banned from participating in transactions subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), including exports from the United States and re-exports from abroad. The TDOs initially run for 180 days but will likely be extended.Continue Reading Russia, Ukraine: Update as of July 7

The Bass, Berry & Sims international trade team is actively monitoring the situation in Russia and Ukraine and providing real-time advice to clients on managing the situation. This post summarizes new U.S. sanctions and export restrictions as of Monday, June 6. This post supplements our previous summaries, which are available by following the links at the end of this blog post.

Commerce Department Issues Final Rule Refining the Export Administration Regulations and Improving Transparency in Export Enforcement Cases

EAR Amendments and Clarifications

On June 2, the U.S. Commerce Department, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued a final rule refining certain provisions of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).

Several portions of the rule expand and refine the EAR restrictions related to Russia and Belarus.Continue Reading Russia, Ukraine: Update as of June 6

The Bass, Berry & Sims international trade team is actively monitoring the situation in Russia and Ukraine and providing real-time advice to clients on managing the situation. This post summarizes new U.S. sanctions and export restrictions as of Wednesday, June 1. This post supplements our previous summaries, which are available by following the links at the end of this blog post.

Commerce Department Issues Temporary Denial Order against Rossiya, the Fifth Russian Airline to Face Export Restrictions

On May 20, the U.S. Commerce Department, Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS) issued a temporary denial order (TDO) against Rossiya citing ongoing violations of the comprehensive U.S. export controls imposed on Russia. Rossiya is headquartered in St. Petersburg and, according to BIS, has operated multiple U.S.-origin aircraft subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) into and out of Russia without the required BIS authorization.Continue Reading Russia, Ukraine: Update as of June 1