1. EUROPEAN UNION
BELARUS
- On 4 June 2021, Council Regulation (EU) 2021/907[1] and Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/908[2] amending, respectively, Articles 1, 8b and 8c of Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 and Article 2a of Decision 2012/642/CFSP were published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
These amendments prohibit any aircraft operated by Belarusian air carriers from landing on, taking off from or flying over the territory of the European Union, unless specifically authorised to do so in certain circumstances.
- On 21 June 2021, Council Regulation (EU) 2021/996[3] and Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/1001[4] amending, respectively, Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 and the Annex to Decision 2012/642/CFSP were published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
These amendments authorise the release of certain frozen funds or economic resources and include one (1) natural person of Belarusian nationality on the list of sanctioned persons.
- On 21 June 2021, Council Regulation (EU) 2021/997[5] and Council Implementing Decision (CFSP) 2021/1002[6] amending, respectively, Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 and the Annex to Decision 2012/642/CFSP were published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
These amendments include seventy-seven (77) natural persons and seven (7) legal persons in the list of sanctioned persons.
- On 24 June 2021, Council Regulation (EU) 2021/1030[7] and Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/1031[8] amending, respectively, Articles 1 and 1d of Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 and inserting Articles 2b and 2c to Decision 2012/642/CFSP were published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
These amendments establish definitions of the following terms: dual-use goods and technology, investment services, transferable securities, money market instruments and credit institution. In addition, the sale, supply or transfer of equipment, technology and software intended for use in the monitoring and interception of telephone communications by the Belarusian authorities is prohibited.
LIBYA
- On 22 June 2021, Council Regulation (EU) 2021/1005[9] and Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/1014[10] amending, respectively, Article 6 of Regulation (EU) 2016/44 and Articles 8 and 9 of Decision (CFSP) 2015/1333 have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
MYANMAR
- On 21 June 2021, Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/998[11] and Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/1000[12] amending, respectively, Annex IV to Regulation (EU) 401/2013 and the Annex to Decision 2013/184/CFSP were published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
These amendments include eight (8) natural persons and four (4) legal persons in the list of sanctioned persons.
RUSSIA
- On 22 June 2021, [13]Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/1010 extending the application of the Decision until 23 June 2022 was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
TERRORISM
- On 22 June 2021, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1016[14] amending Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
By this amendment, one (1) natural person of Syrian nationality has been added to the list of sanctioned persons.
2. UNITED STATES
BELARUS
- On 21 June 2021, OFAC, pursuant to Executive Order 13405 of 16 June 2006, added sixteen (16) natural persons and five (5) Belarusian entities to the SDN List in response to “the escalation of violence and repression by the Lukashenka regime, including the reckless forcible diversion of a Ryanair commercial flight and the detention of a journalist and his companion”.
BULGARIA
- On 2 June 2021 OFAC, pursuant to Executive Order 13818, dated 20 December 2017, has added to the SDN List three (3) Bulgarian natural persons and sixty-four (64) Bulgarian entities for “engaging in corrupt activities, undermining economic functions and democratic institutions of Bulgaria”.
CHINA
- On 3 June 2021, OFAC, by virtue of Executive Order 13959 of 12 November 2020, added fifty-nine (59) Chinese entities to the Non-SDN Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies List (“Non-SDN List”) (reason not specified).
- As of 16 June 2021, OFAC, pursuant to Executive Order 13959, has amended the information relating to two (2) sanctioned Chinese entities on the Non-SDN List.
CUBA
- On 10 June 2021 Cuba announced that it will temporarily stop accepting US dollars as bank cash deposits as of 21 June 2021, although it will continue to accept transfers. This measure is introduced in response to the tightening of US sanctions that are restricting Cuba’s economic capacity abroad.
The move comes ahead of the Cuban government’s annual resolution at the UN General Assembly to end the US trade embargo on Cuba.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
- On 10 June 2021, OFAC, pursuant to the Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations (“SDGT”), added two (2) Emirati entities to the SDN List for “financially supporting a smuggling network that enables Houthi attacks”.
INDIA
- On 10 June 2021, OFAC, pursuant to the SDGT, has added one (1) natural person of Indian nationality to the SDN List for “managing the shipping operations of an Iranian petroleum products smuggling ring“.
IRAN
- On 17 June 2021, OFAC has issued Iran General License N to extend existing authorisations for COVID-19 pandemic-related transactions and activities.
NICARAGUA
- On 6 June 2021, OFAC, pursuant to Executive Order 13851 of 27 November 2018, added four (4) natural persons of Nicaraguan nationality to the SDN List for “supporting the Ortega regime, a regime that has undermined democracy, abused the human rights of the civilian population, and attempted to silence the independent media”.
NIGER
- On 28 June 2021 OFAC, pursuant to the SDGT, has added one (1) natural person of Nigerian nationality to the SDN List (reason not specified).
UNITED KINGDOM
- On 10 June 2021 OFAC, pursuant to the SDGT, has added one (1) natural person of British nationality to the SDN List for “acting as a financial intermediary and coordinating the smuggling of petrochemicals for the smuggling network”.
SYRIA
- On 10 June 2021, OFAC, pursuant to the SDGT, added two (2) natural persons of Syrian nationality to the SDN List for “facilitating transactions valued at millions of dollars to a bureau de change associated with the Houthis in Yemen“.
- On 17 June 2021, OFAC has issued Syria General License 21 to extend existing authorisations for COVID-19 pandemic-related transactions and activities.
SOMALIA
- As of 10 June 2021, OFAC, pursuant to the SDGT, has added one (1) natural person of Somali nationality to the SDN List for “engaging in the procurement of vessels, facilitating shipments of Iranian fuel, and transferring funds for the benefit of the Houthis”.
TURKEY
- On 10 June 2021, OFAC, pursuant to the SDGT, has added one (1) Turkish entity to the SDN List for “acting as a financial intermediary and coordinating the smuggling of petrochemicals from the aforementioned network”.
VENEZUELA
- On 17 June 2021 OFAC has issued Venezuela General License 39 to extend the existing authorisations for COVID-19 pandemic-related transactions and activities.
YEMEN
- On 10 June 2021, OFAC, pursuant to the SDGT, added two (2) natural persons, one (1) entity, and one (1) Yemeni vessel to the SDN List for “being members of a smuggling ring that helps finance Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Qods Force and the Houthis in Yemen. This network generates millions of dollars from the sale of goods such as Iranian oil, a significant portion of which is directed through a complex network of intermediaries to the Houthis in Yemen“.
3. UNITED KINGDOM
BELARUS
- On 21 June 2021 the UK Government, under the Republic of Belarus (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations (‘RBR’) of 31 December 2020, has added eleven (11) natural persons to the UK Sanctions List (‘UKSL List’) for ‘being responsible for the repression of the civilian population and democratic opposition in Belarus, thereby undermining democracy and the rule of law in the country’. The sanction imposed consists of a travel ban and an assets freeze.
MYANMAR
- On 21 June 2021 the UK Government, under the Myanmar Sanctions Regulations 2021 (“MSR”) of 29 April 2021, has added three (3) Burmese entities to the UKSL List for “undermining democracy and being responsible for repression against the civilian population”. The sanction imposed consists of an asset freeze.
SYRIA
- On 17 June 2021 the UK Government, pursuant to the Isil (Da’esh) and Al-Qaeda (United Nations Sanctions) (Eu Exit) Regulations 2019 (“IALSR”), which entered into force on 31 December 2020, has added one (1) natural person of Syrian nationality to the UKSL List “for providing financial support to Al-Qaeda”. The sanction imposed consists of an asset freeze, a travel ban and an arms embargo.
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[1] Council Regulation (EU) 2021/907 of 4 June 2021 amending Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 concerning restrictive measures in respect of Belarus.
[2] Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/908 of 4 June 2021 amending Decision 2012/642/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus.
[3] Council Regulation (EU) 2021/996 of 21 June 2021 amending Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 concerning restrictive measures in respect of Belarus.
[4] Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/1001 of 21 June 2021 amending Decision 2012/642/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus.
[5] Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/997 of 21 June 2021 implementing Article 8a(1) of Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 concerning restrictive measures in respect of Belarus.
[6] Council Implementing Decision (CFSP) 2021/1002 of 21 June 2021 implementing Decision 2012/642/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus.
[7] Council Regulation (EU) 2021/1030 of 24 June 2021 amending Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 concerning restrictive measures in respect of Belarus.
[8] Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/1031 of 24 June 2021 amending Decision 2012/642/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus.
[9] Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/1014 of 21 June 2021 amending Council Decision (CFSP) 2015/1333 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Libya.
[10] Council Regulation (EU) 2021/1005 of 21 June 2021 amending Regulation (EU) 2016/44 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Libya.
[11] Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/1000 of 21 June 2021 amending Decision 2013/184/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Myanmar/Burma.
[12] Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/998 of 21 June 2021 implementing Regulation (EU) No 401/2013 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Myanmar/Burma.
[13] Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/1010 of 21 June 2021 amending Decision 2014/386/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol.
[14] Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1016 of 21 June 2021 amending for the 321st time Council Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 imposing certain specific restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities associated with ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida organisations.
