On 13 December 2014, the US Congress passed legislation entitled the “Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014” (H.R. 5859) seeking to impose new sanctions against Russia and in support of Ukraine.  On Thursday, December 18, President Obama signed the Act into law, while stating that at present, the Administration does not intend to impose new … Read more

Our latest briefing summarises recent developments in the EU’s sanctions imposed against Russia.  In particular, we provide an overview of (a) new measures relating to Crimea and Sevastopol and (b) new European Commission guidance on certain of the financial sector restrictions applied to listed Russian entities.  For further background on these sanctions, please see our … Read more

On 12 May 2014, the EU announced that it was further expanding the sanctions imposed in connection with the situation in Ukraine in light of a perceived continuation of efforts to destabilise eastern and southern Ukraine.  Read more

Following the weekend’s Crimea referendum, the EU and US have taken further steps (building on those outlined in our previous briefing) to impose targeted sanctions in response to the situation in Ukraine. On 17 March 2014, the EU introduced an asset freeze and travel ban applying to 21 Russian individuals.  On the same day, the … Read more

Ukraine – EU imposes asset freeze on members of former government and issues a statement in relation to Russia; US introduces Executive Order permitting the blocking of assets The EU and US have both recently taken steps to respond to recent events in Ukraine.  On 5 March 2014, the EU introduced an asset freeze applying … Read more

In the early hours of 24 November, the P5+1 (the UK, US, Germany, France, Russia and China, facilitated by the EU) announced that they had reached a set of initial understandings with Iran. In exchange for limits on Iran’s nuclear programme, the P5+1 have given undertakings to relax sanctions, including agreeing that no new nuclear-related … Read more

The Serious Fraud Office (“SFO“) had its first day in court in a Bribery Act prosecution on 24 September 2013, with three of four defendants connected with a £23m fraud at Sustainable AgroEnergy plc (“AgroEnergy“) facing charges of making and accepting a financial advantage contrary to sections 1(1) and 2(1) of the Bribery Act 2010. Read more

On 8 August 2013 the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) issued a Final Notice against Guaranty Trust Bank (UK) Limited (“GTBUK”), the fifth in a series of cases arising from the FSA’s 2010 thematic review of banks’ management of higher money laundering risk situations.  Read more