The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Feb. 10 published a final rule raising for inflation the maximum amount of civil monetary penalties assessable under five U.S. sanctions programs (here).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control added nine individuals and eight entities to its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list under weapons of mass destruction proliferator designations (here), as well as four individuals and four entities under terrorism designations (here).
Correction: The Office of Foreign Assets Control issued "Cyber-related General License 1," which authorizes certain transactions with the Russian Federal Security Service (here) (see 1702020027).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control issued "Cyber-related General License 1," which authorizes certain transactions with the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) ordinarily incident to requesting certain licenses and authorizations from that entity for the importation, distribution or use of certain information technology products in Russia, OFAC said (here). The license also authorizes certain transactions with the FSB ordinarily incident to transactions necessary and ordinarily incident to comply with rules and regulations administered by, and certain actions or investigations involving, the FSB. The OFAC license is contingent on the proper Commerce Department authorizations for the exportation, re-exportation or provision of any goods or technology subject to the Export Administration Regulations, as well as on the payment of any fees to the FSB for any necessary licenses totaling $5,000 or less in any calendar year, the general license says. The general license does not apply to exportation, re-exportation or provision of any goods, technology, or services in "the Crimea region of Ukraine," OFAC said. "We're not easing sanctions," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said in response to a reporter's question during a Feb. 2 press briefing. "It's a fairly common practice for the Treasury Department, after sanctions are put in place, to go back and to look at whether or not there needs to be specific carve-outs for different industries or products and services that need to be going back and forth." Spicer referred further questions to Treasury.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control added one individual to its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list under Balkans designations (here), seven individuals under weapons of mass destruction designations, and 11 individuals and five entities under Syria designations (here).
White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus on Jan. 20 directed the heads of all executive branch departments and agencies to temporarily postpone until March 21 the effective dates of regulations published in the Federal Register that haven’t taken effect. The Trump administration will review “questions of fact, law, and policy” the regulations raise, Priebus said in the memo (here). The directive also instructs agencies to consider proposing for notice and comment rules to delay the effective date even longer “where appropriate and as permitted by applicable law,” with no further action needed for unsubstantial rulemakings and notification of the Office of Management and Budget for regulations that present substantial law or policy questions.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control added seven individuals and two entities to its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list under North Korea designations (here), and removed one entity from the list under Zimbabwe designations, OFAC said (here).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control removed 10 individuals and 14 entities from its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, under Cuba designations, OFAC said (here).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control added four individuals to its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, under counterterrorism designations, OFAC said (here).
President Barack Obama on Jan. 13 issued an executive order (here) directing the removal of sanctions on property and interests of the Sudanese government, and the removal of prohibitions on imports from and exports to the country, to take overall effect July 12, as outlined in a letter from Obama to Congress (here). "The 180-day delay period of the order's effective date with respect to removing these provisions is intended to encourage the Government of Sudan to sustain its efforts in these areas." Obama's order would also rescind Executive Order 13412, which continues blocking the Sudanese government and specifies prohibitions relating to Sudan's petroleum industry. However, the national emergency regarding Sudan will remain in place, Obama said. Obama tasked the Secretary of State and interagency partners to review Sudanese government actions annually after his order takes effect.