Pursuant to a sweeping new executive order (EO) issued on June 30, 2025, the Trump administration has lifted virtually all U.S. sanctions targeting Syria, shuttered the Syria sanctions program administered by the Office of...more
7/9/2025
/ Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Executive Orders ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Export Controls ,
International Trade ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Syria ,
Trump Administration ,
U.S. Commerce Department
On March 21, 2024, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published a final rule amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by imposing “end user” export control restrictions against...more
3/26/2024
/ Blocked Person ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Export Controls ,
International Trade ,
National Security ,
New Rules ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
SDN List
On October 17, 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) released two interim final rules to reinforce and expand controls on (a) advanced semiconductors and related computing items (the...more
10/27/2023
/ Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
China ,
Deadlines ,
Entity List ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Export Controls ,
Exports ,
Final Rules ,
Inspections ,
Manufacturers ,
Semiconductors ,
Technology Sector ,
U.S. Commerce Department
On August 16, 2023, OFAC announced a $660,594 settlement with Construction Specialties Inc. (CS) for alleged violations of the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR). OFAC found that CS’s wholly controlled...more
9/6/2023
/ Anti-Money Laundering ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Corporate Governance ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Employees ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Export Controls ,
Exports ,
Money Laundering ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Sanctions ,
U.S. Commerce Department ,
Whistleblowers
In a rule effective August 11, 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) expanded nuclear nonproliferation controls on China, as part of the U.S. government’s latest efforts to address...more
8/18/2023
/ Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
China ,
Commerce Control List ,
End-Users ,
Export Controls ,
Exports ,
Final Rules ,
Licensing Rules ,
Military End Use ,
National Security ,
U.S. Commerce Department ,
US Trade Policies
On July 26, 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) National Security Division (NSD), 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...more
8/1/2023
/ Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Compliance ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Export Controls ,
International Trade ,
National Security ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Self-Disclosure Requirements ,
U.S. Commerce Department ,
U.S. Treasury ,
Voluntary Disclosure ,
Whistleblowers
Through a series of coordinated actions in May 2023, the United States launched a whole-of-government effort to expand and strengthen enforcement of its sanctions campaign against Russia as the conflict in Ukraine continues...more
6/6/2023
/ Anti-Money Laundering ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
CFIUS ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Export Controls ,
Financial Institutions ,
FinCEN ,
International Trade ,
National Security ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Russia
DOJ Increases Resources To Investigate and Prosecute Sanctions Evasion and Export Control Violations -
On March 2, 2023, during a keynote speech at the American Bar Association’s annual White Collar Crime National...more
3/17/2023
/ Anti-Corruption ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Compliance ,
Corporate Entities ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Economic Sanctions ,
EU ,
Export Controls ,
Exports ,
Financial Institutions ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
International Trade ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Russia ,
Self-Disclosure Requirements ,
U.S. Commerce Department ,
U.S. Treasury ,
UK ,
Voluntary Disclosure
On February 24, 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced four new rules expanding restrictions on exports to Russia and Belarus. The revisions to the Export Administration...more
In light of the recent referendums and purported annexation by Russia of four territories of Ukraine on September 30, 2022, the United States, United Kingdom and European Union have expanded measures and provided additional...more
10/14/2022
/ Biden Administration ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Economic Sanctions ,
EU ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Export Controls ,
Exports ,
Foreign Policy ,
Foreign Relations ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Russia ,
UK ,
Ukraine
Even though significant sanctions and export controls have already been put in place, the United States recently adopted additional measures targeting key elements of the Russian economy and military industry in response to...more
Since the publication of our February 26, 2022, client alert, the United States, United Kingdom and the European Union, among other allied nations, have imposed additional sanctions and export controls on key elements of the...more
3/10/2022
/ Belarus ,
Blocking Sanctions ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Export Controls ,
Financial Institutions ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Popular ,
Russia ,
SWIFT ,
Ukraine
In response to the February 1, 2021, military coup in Burma (Myanmar), on February 10, 2021, President Joe Biden issued Executive Order 14014 (EO 14014), “Executive Order on Blocking Property With Respect to the Situation in...more
In the wake of China’s new national security law for Hong Kong that went into effect on June 30, 2020, the Trump administration has taken several steps to significantly pare back Hong Kong’s preferential status under U.S....more
7/20/2020
/ Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
China ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Export Controls ,
Foreign Financial Institutions (FFI) ,
Foreign Persons ,
Hong Kong ,
Hong Kong Autonomy Act (HKAA) ,
Human Rights ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Preferential Trade Status ,
Revocation ,
Risk Assessment ,
Rollbacks ,
Trump Administration ,
U.S. Commerce Department ,
US Trade Policies
On November 8, 2017, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), and the U.S. Department of State announced...more
11/30/2017
/ Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Business Travel ,
Cuba ,
Cuba Restricted List ,
Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR) ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Exports ,
General Licenses ,
Obama Administration ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Travel Restrictions ,
Trump Administration
On October 6, 2017, President Donald Trump and the U.S. Department of State announced the revocation of economic sanctions on Sudan, following the temporary lifting of sanctions on January 17, 2017. The announcement concluded...more
On March 7, 2017, the United States announced that China’s Zhongxing Telecommunications Equipment Corporation and ZTE Kangxun Telecommunications Ltd. and their respective affiliates (collectively, ZTE) had agreed to a record...more
3/10/2017
/ Attorney General ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
China ,
Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Embargo ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Export Controls ,
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) ,
Iran ,
Iran Sanctions ,
ITAR ,
National Security ,
North Korea ,
Obstruction of Justice ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Plea Agreements ,
Sanction Violations ,
Settlement ,
Software ,
Telecommunications
On October 14, 2016, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced further amendments to ease U.S. sanctions and...more
10/28/2016
/ Aviation Industry ,
Barack Obama ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Cuba ,
Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR) ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Export Controls ,
Exports ,
Financial Institutions ,
General Licenses ,
Humanitarian Assistance ,
Imports ,
International Travel ,
Medical Research ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Pharmaceutical Industry
On March 15, 2016, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced regulatory amendments that further eased U.S....more
On January 27, 2016, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) further eased U.S. sanctions and export control regulations...more
On September 21, 2015, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amended their respective Cuba regulations to...more
9/30/2015
/ Airlines ,
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ,
Cuba ,
Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR) ,
Export Administration Regulations (EAR) ,
Export Controls ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Transactions ,
Information Technology ,
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) ,
Licenses ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Physical Presence Test ,
Sanctions ,
Telecommunications ,
U.S. Commerce Department ,
Vessels