A new EU sanctions framework against Russia will allow the bloc to designate people and entities involved in undermining foreign elections and democratic institutions, the sabotage of economic activities, disinformation and manipulation, "malicious" cyber activities and more. The Council of the EU said it established the new framework Oct. 8, allowing the EU to sanction those undermining the "fundamental values of the EU and its member states, their security, independence and integrity, as well as those of international organisations and third countries." The framework was based on a proposal by Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign affairs and security policy chief, to respond to the "continued campaign of hybrid activities by Russia," the council said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned three people and a “sham charity” that it said are international financial supporters of the terror group Hamas. It also designated a “longstanding” Hamas supporter and nine of his businesses for their ties to the group. OFAC said they each “play critical roles in external fundraising” for Hamas, often by disguising their support as charity.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control may be preparing to increase its use of private blocking notices, which the agency sometimes sends to companies instead of publicly sanctioning a party on its Specially Designated Nationals List, Paul Weiss said in an October client alert.
The Group of 7 nations, including the U.S., are considering new sanctions against Iran in response to the country’s missile attacks against Israel this week, the White House said in a statement. A State Department spokesperson declined to say what type of sanctions the countries may take, but added that the U.S. “can always look to identify new ways to impose sanctions on Iran or to increase enforcement of our existing sanctions,” and “those are the measures that we’re looking at right now.”
The U.K. Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation on Oct. 3 added CJSC Alfa Bank Belarus to its Belarus sanctions regime. OFSI said the bank carries out business in the country's financial services sector, which is a "sector of strategic significance to the Government of Belarus."
The U.K.’s Department for Business & Trade will soon remove a “licensing consideration” that outlines a pathway for U.K. companies to apply for a license to provide certain services to their Russian subsidiaries, the agency announced this week. Beginning Oct. 31, the U.K. will remove wording from its statutory guidance on Russia sanctions that described this license, saying it may no longer “be consistent with the aims of the sanctions regime.”
The U.K.’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation on Oct. 1 added two new frequently asked questions to provide guidance on how sanctions apply to Russia-related securities settlements and trust services.
The State Department this week sanctioned two Israelis that it said are involved in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. The agency said Eitan Yardeni joined a group that invaded the Palestinian town of Khallet Al Dabaa and attacked its inhabitants, and Avichai Suissa is the CEO and director of Hashomer Yosh, a group sanctioned by the U.S. in August for supporting other U.S.-designated Israeli groups and people in the region (see 2408280023).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned several China-based companies, a person in Iran and others for helping to move weapons, dual-use items or commercial goods in support of the Houthis, the Yemen-based group that the U.S. designated as a terrorist organization in January (see 2401170025).
The U.K. on Oct. 1 updated a sanctions license that authorizes sanctioned parties to make utility payments for water or sewerage services to U.K. properties. The U.K. updated the license's definition of "designated parties" and extended the "validity" of the license to make it "indefinite."