Apple Inc.’s recent settlement with the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has exposed a potentially costly wrinkle in complying with international trade regulations. While sanctions screening technologies may help a company catch and report errors, this software alone will not absolve faults and shortcomings in a company’s overall export compliance programs.
The
On August 29, 2018, the United States circulated a request for consultations to the World Trade Organization (WTO) members. The US has requested that the WTO help resolve a dispute between the US and Russia concerning additional duties imposed by Russia on certain US goods.
A request for consultations is similar to other forms of
On October 12, 2017, the United States lifted its general commercial embargo on Sudan. Because Sudan has played a role in international terrorism, the U.S. has maintained a comprehensive embargo against Sudan since 1997. These sanctions were contained in executive orders and the Sudanese Sanctions Regulations (SSR).
Following a 16-month diplomatic effort, the United States
On Thursday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) announced a $415,350 settlement agreement with COSL Singapore Ltd. (“COSL”). The parties settled a potential civil liability claim for 55 apparent violation of the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 560 (ITSR), which took place between October 2011 and
Last week, the D.C. Circuit affirmed the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control’s (“OFAC”) wide latitude to impose Iran sanctions, but it set aside a $4.07 million penalty against car accessory seller Epsilon Electronics (“Epsilon”). The D.C. Circuit found that the agency cut too many corners in its investigation of Epsilon.
In July
The 15-member U.N. Security Council (the Council) imposed new sanctions on North Korea (also known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or DPRK) on November 30, 2016 by unanimously approving a resolution imposing new sanctions — UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2321.
The resolution is a clear response to North Korea carrying out
Effective today, January 27, 2016, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) have further reduced sanctions affecting U.S. relations with Cuba. The amendments to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR) represent significant steps
On January 16, 2016, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) lifted certain nuclear-related “secondary sanctions” (sanctions targeting non-U.S. persons for certain Iran-related activities undertaken outside of the U.S.) against Iran pursuant to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). This long awaited action
The European Union (EU) has requested consultations, a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute proceeding, with Colombia to address what it believes are discriminatory practices against spirits being imported from the EU into Colombia. The EU says that Colombian authorities treat imported alcoholic beverages from the EU in a manner that is inconsistent with the WTO.
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (the JCPOA), between the so-called P5+1 countries (United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Russia and China) and Iran was formally adopted on Oct. 18, 2015 (Adoption Day) to lift certain sanctions on Iran. Please see our previous blog post