On May 9, 2014, the Federal Register published Notice of May 7, 2014 — Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Actions of the Government of Syria which extends the Syrian sanctions originally declared in Executive Order (EO) 13338 of May 11, 2004, and modified by other EOs, for an additional year. EO 13338 authorized the blocking of property of certain persons and prohibited the exportation or re-exportation of certain goods to Syria.…
Recent Developments On May 2, 2014, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) issued a final rule amending and reissuing the Syrian Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR Part 542 (“Regulations”). Since the Regulations were last issued in April 2005, the President has signed six Executive Orders imposing sanctions targeting Syria and applicable to “U.S. persons.” In particular, Executive Order 13582 (“EO 13582”) significantly expanded U.S. sanctions by blocking the Government of Syria and…
On May 2, 2014, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) published in the Federal Register a final rule which amends the Syrian Sanctions Regulations (the Regulations) and reissues them in their entirety, in order to implement Executive Order (EO) 13399 of April 25, 2006, “Blocking Property of Additional Persons in Connection With the National Emergency With Respect to Syria,” EO 13460 of February 13, 2008, “Blocking Property of Additional Persons in Connection With the…
On February 24, 2014, the Treasury Department published in the Federal Register, in accordance with section 999(a)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, a current list of countries which require or may require participation in, or cooperation with, an international boycott (within the meaning of section 999(b)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986). On the basis of the best information currently available to the Department of the Treasury, the following countries require or…
On February 12, 2014, the Canada Gazette published Regulations Amending the Special Economic Measures (Syria) Regulations (SOR/2014-11, January 29, 2014) (the Amending Regulations) pursuant to the Special Economic Measures Act. The purposes of the Amending Regulations are to fulfil Canada’s inter¬national legal obligation to implement the decisions of UNSC Resolution 2118 (2013) and to bring Canada’s sanctions against Syria’s chemical weapons programme in line with Canada’s allies in the Australia Group, including the European Union.…
On 11 February 2014, the Official Journal published Council Decision 2014/74/CFSP of 10 February 2014 amending Decision 2013/255/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria and Council Regulation (EU) No 124/2014 of 10 February 2014 amending Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria. The Decision introduces in Decision 2013/255/CFSP an exemption from the asset freeze to allow the release of funds and economic resources of the Central Bank of Syria…
On December 10, 2013, the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, Department of State published in the Federal Register a notice [Public Notice 8545] regarding the imposition of additional sanctions on Syria under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991. On August 2, 2013, a determination was made that the Government of Syria used chemical weapons in violation of international law or lethal chemical weapons against its own nationals. Notice…
On 16 October 2013, the legislation.gov.uk website posted SI 2013/2598 – The Syria (Restrictive Measures) (Overseas Territories) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2013. This Order further amends the Syria (Restrictive Measures) (Overseas Territories) Order 2012 (“the principal Order”). The principal Order gives effect in specified Overseas Territories to sanctions in respect of Syria adopted by the European Union in Council Decision 2011/782/CFSP adopted on 1st December 2011. This Order amends the principal Order to give effect…
On September 25, 2013, the Federal Register published Presidential Determination No. 2013-15 of September 16, 2013 – Provision of Defense Articles and Services to Vetted Members of the Syrian Opposition for Use in Syria to Prevent the Use or Proliferation of Chemical Weapons and Related Materials, Organizations Implementing U.S. Department of State or U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Programs Inside or Related to Syria, and International Organizations for their Use Inside or Related to…
On September 10, 2013, the State Department published in the Federal Register a notice stating that the United States Government has determined on August 2, pursuant to Section 306(a) of the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991, 22 U.S.C. 5604(a), that the Government of Syria has used chemical weapons in violation of international law or lethal chemical weapons against its own nationals. In addition, the United States Government has determined…