The EU Commission has issued a factsheet shedding light on the relationship between Incoterms and EU sanctions compliance. It makes clear that the Incoterms “Ex Works” rule—which shifts responsibility and risk to the importer/buyer from the moment of collecting the goods—does not exempt EU-based exporters or sellers from their legal obligations under EU sanctions law. The Commission underscores that adherence to EU sanctions is mandatory for all individuals and entities under EU jurisdiction, regardless of…
On 20 June 2025, the Swiss Federal Council announced that Switzerland is lifting its economic sanctions against Syria (see press release here). This decision is a move to align Switzerland with the EU’s decision of 27 May 2025 (see blog post here). The revision follows the initial easing of specific sanctions related to Syria’s energy and transport sectors, as well as certain financial services and banking relationships, implemented on 7 March 2025 (see press release here).…
As part of the Annual Compliance Conference webinar series, this session explored the evolving global sanctions landscape in relation to Russia, over three years since the first wave of sanctions following the outbreak of war in February 2022. The panel examined the current state of play, recent developments, and what may lie ahead for businesses navigating this complex environment. Sanctions developments:Speakers provided updates on the 17th EU sanctions package (May 2025), including measures targeting the…
On 1 June 2025, the revised Swiss Ordinance on Measures against Belarus (“Belarus Ordinance”) entered into force, thereby implementing the EU’s latest Belarus sanctions. These sanctions had been adopted alongside the EU’s 16th sanctions package against Russia on 24 February 2025, which Switzerland implemented on 15 May 2025 (see blog post here). With this revision of the Belarus Ordinance, Switzerland continues to align its sanctions regime against Belarus with the sanctions against Russia, thereby preventing…