The Office of Foreign Assets Control made several counter-terrorism additions, counter-narcotics deletions, and changes, to its Specially Designated Nationals list on Jan. 7 (here).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control is issuing regulations (here) to implement sanctions against cyber criminals as laid out in Executive Order 13694 (here) announced on April 1. The sanctions are aimed at blocking the property of people “engaging in significant malicious cyber-enabled activities.”
The Bureau of Industry and Security proposed a new guidance on charging and penalty determinations in settlement of administrative enforcement cases, which would amend Part 766 Supplement No. 1 under the Export Administration Regulations, and will accept public comments on the proposed change until Feb. 26 (here). The proposed changes are meant to make administrative penalties more predictable to the public and aligned with those ordered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, it said. The guidelines would define factors by which violations could be identified as "egregious" or "non-egregious," and help clarify the base penalty amount likely to apply in an enforcement case. Further, factors would be divided into: (1) "aggravating factors," implying willfulness or recklessness; (2) general factors that could be considered aggravating or mitigating depending on the circumstances, which would look at both the absence or presence and adequacy of an internal compliance program; and (3) "mitigating factors," such as remedial measures taken; and (4) other relevant factors on a case-by-case basis.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control added to its Specially Designated Nationals list on Dec. 16, under Kingpin Act designations (here).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control added to its Specially Designated Nationals list on Dec. 10, under Kingpin Act designations (here).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control added to its Specially Designated Nationals list due for counter-terrorism on Dec. 1, it said (here). It also added individuals and entities linked to the Syrian conflict and North Korea to the SDN List on Dec. 8 (here).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a six-month general license—“GL 20”—to allow trade-related transactions otherwise barred by Burmese Sanctions Regulations (BSR), the department said Dec. 7 (here). The license opens up the possibility for certain transactions that result from exports to or from Myanmar involving specially designated nationals (SDNs), and SDN-owned entities involved in trade to or from Myanmar. Among the current prohibitions that remain in effect are the import of Burmese-origin jadeite, rubies, and jewelry containing those materials. The license authorizes the transactions until June 7, 2016, and allows U.S. financial institutions to unblock and return transactions blocked on or after April 1, 2015, that would have been granted authorization if the general license had already been authorized. “Today’s general license supports the prior easing of U.S. economic sanctions on Myanmar in response to significant positive reforms in the country, while maintaining targeted sanctions against specific individuals and entities,” it said. OFAC issued the license in response to “unintended interruptions” to Burmese trade because of sanctions concerns with a “key” Rangoon port, said the State Department in news release (here).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control is asking for comments by Jan. 6 on the effectiveness of its licensing procedures for the export of agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices to Sudan and Iran (here). The comments will assist OFAC as it compiles its biennial report to Congress for the time period Oct. 1, 2012 to Sept. 30, 2014, it said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control updated its list (here) of medical supplies that are approved for export or reexport to Iran. The list is due for publication in the Federal Register on Dec. 1, but was effective Nov. 2. The items are defined as medical supplies under the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations. Approved items fall under the following categories: General Medical Equipment and Supplies, Anaesthesiology, Apparel, Cardiology, Dental equipment and supplies, Gynecology & Urology, Inherited Preventative Care, Laboratory, Nephrology, Neurology, Obstetrics and Maternity Care, Ophthalmology and Optometry, Otology and Neurotology, Physical and Occupational Therapy, Radiology, Sterilization, and Surgery.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control added to its Specially Designated Nationals list due to Kingpin Act violations on Nov. 24, it said (here). It also added individuals and entities linked to the Syrian conflict to the SDN List on Nov. 25 (here).