On February 24, 2022, the U.S. Government issued a number of sanctions measures in response to Russia’s attack on Ukraine. These measures include sweeping financial sanctions and stringent export controls, which will have...more
The situation in the Ukraine remains highly fluid and reactions from the United States and allies continue to evolve. This is the first of a series of advisory alerts from Venable in response to the ongoing situation....more
The Biden Administration and several allied countries announced on February 22 new economic sanctions on Russia and the separatist territories in Ukraine. In the United States, the sanctions target only certain Russian...more
Israel’s global reputation as ‘Start-up Nation’ and the country’s increasingly warm relationships with countries subject to U.S. economic sanctions may be headed for a collision course with the U.S. government. While these...more
On February 18, 2021, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) announced a half-million dollar settlement with BitPay, Inc. (“BitPay”), a U.S. company that processes digital currency...more
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (“OFAC”) continues to rack up settlements. Two travel insurance companies recently settled OFAC enforcement actions for violations of the Cuban Embargo....more
The United Nations and United States recently took significant new steps to expand sanctions on North Korea, with implications for international banking; shipping and port activities; air transport; energy and mining sectors;...more
On January 25, 2016, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the US Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced new changes to existing US sanctions on Cuba,...more
For more than 50 years, an embargo and related sanctions regime has restricted U.S. businesses and individuals from virtually all economic activity involving Cuba or its nationals. This regime was implemented through a...more
Although Congress has remained cautious of taking any action to ease the American-imposed embargo on the majority of business interactions with Cuba, President Obama’s administration continues to push forward with the...more
New rules came out on September 21, 2015 from both the Commerce and Treasury Departments. Although for the most part these changes only slightly broaden or clarify pre-existing exceptions to the embargo against Cuba, they...more
However, the new transaction rules leave the embargo largely in effect. Early this week, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and...more
After President Obama's announcement that his Administration will pursue a policy aimed at improving U.S.-Cuba diplomatic relations and ultimately eliminating the economic embargo on Cuba, the U.S. Treasury and Commerce...more
As part of a broader, ongoing effort to forge closer relations with Cuba, the Obama administration has enacted a new set of regulations intended to facilitate certain forms of authorized travel to Cuba. The regulations, which...more
On January 16, 2015, the Office of Foreign Assets Control, U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”), and the Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce (“BIS”), each published regulations implementing the...more
On January 15, 2015, the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) amended the Cuban Assets Control Regulations to implement changes in U.S. policy toward Cuba announced by President Obama on December...more
Action Item: On January 16, 2015, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and the U.S. Department of Commerce amended the Cuban Assets Control Regulations and the Export Administration...more
On January 15, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) released important updates to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (“CACR”). The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry...more
New Rules Open Opportunities for Exports, Financial Services, and Travel- On January 16, 2014, the U.S. Treasury Department issued new sanctions regulations easing the 54-year old Cuban embargo. Coming in the wake of...more
On January 16, 2015, the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”) amended the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 515 (“CACR”), and the U.S. Department of Commerce amended the Export Administration...more
The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of Commerce have released new regulations that loosen restrictions on trade and travel with Cuba....more