The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned an additional 20 people, 12 entities and three aircraft for aiding the Alexander Lukashenko regime in Belarus. The agency also imposed new restrictions on dealings in Belarusian sovereign debt, and issued a new general license and 10 new frequently asked questions to provide guidance on the new sanctions.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week renewed a general license authorizing transactions between certain companies and Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. General License No. 8I, which replaces No. 8H (see 2106020003), authorizes transactions between PdVSA and Chevron, Halliburton, Schlumberger, Baker Hughes and Weatherford International, with certain restrictions, through 12:01 a.m. EDT June 1, 2022. The license was scheduled to expire Dec. 1.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control amended the Syrian Sanctions Regulations to expand an authorization for certain activities of nongovernmental organizations in Syria, OFAC said in final rule released Nov. 24. The rule, effective Nov. 26, expands a general license to allow NGOs to conduct certain “assistance-related investment activities in support of certain not-for-profit activities in Syria.” OFAC also amended the license to specify that it doesn’t apply to foreign people or entities that have been designated as a foreign terrorist organization or “otherwise designated as a terrorist organization by the Secretary of State.”
Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with the top stories for Nov. 8-12 in case you missed them. You can find any article by searching the title or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week issued the first designations under the recently established Ethiopian and Eritrean sanctions regime (see 2109170036), targeting four entities and two people for contributing to the two countries' ongoing conflict. OFAC also issued a general license authorizing certain transactions with two of the sanctioned entities and published two new frequently asked questions.
The U.S. government and the United Nations, including their contractors, are allowed to conduct transactions related to Syria that involve “stabilization and early recovery-related activities,” the Office of Foreign Assets Control said in a Nov. 8 frequently asked question. OFAC also said the U.S. government and its contractors are authorized by a general license “to engage in all transactions in support of their official business” in Syria. The exemption applies to all government employees, including non-governmental organizations and private companies acting as grantees or contractors. The agency stressed that all U.N. or U.S. grantees or contractors must provide a copy of their contract or grant with either the U.N. or the U.S. “before the U.S. person engages in or facilitates any transaction or activity.”
The State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls is preparing to publish new compliance program guidelines to help industry better meet agency compliance expectations, an official said. DDTC is also “close” to rolling out its new open general license concept, another official said, which would allow blanket approvals for certain shipments to close U.S. allies, potentially including Five Eyes alliance members.
Although companies shouldn’t expect the Treasury Department's recently released sanctions review to lead to major policy changes, it could result in slightly fewer designations, clearer humanitarian exemptions and more sanctions guidance, law firms said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control released the texts of six previously issued Ukraine-related General Licenses. The licenses are GLs 16, 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E. The licenses authorized certain transactions with Russian companies EN+ Group PLC and JSC EuroSibEnergo. The first five have expired, the sixth was revoked. The U.S. removed sanctions from both companies in 2019 (see 1905150064).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control published in the Federal Register the texts of nine previously issued Venezuela-related General Licenses, including one that is still active. The licenses are Venezuela GLs 8, 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, 8E, 8F, 8G and 8H. GL 8H (see 2106020003), which expires Dec. 1, authorizes certain transactions between Venezuela's state-owned energy company Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA) and Chevron, Halliburton, Schlumberger, Baker Hughes and Weatherford International.