On 29 June 2024, the EU adopted a new Belarus sanctions package by amending Council Regulation (EU) 765/2006 (the “EU Belarus Sanctions“), effective from 1 July 2024. The amending regulation can be found here. The new package increases the alignment of the EU Belarus Sanctions with the EU’s sanctions against Russia (including those contained in Regulation (EU) 833/2014 (the “EU Russia Sanctions“), as recently updated), in order to address the risk of circumvention. The new…
On June 27, 2024, Baker McKenzie hosted an Italian-language webinar on sanctions and geopolitical risks. The webinar, which attracted hundreds of registrants, included sessions on EU, US, and UK sanctions developments and enforcement, led by Baker McKenzie lawyers Roberto Cursano (Rome), Riccardo Ovidi (Rome), Kerry Contini (Washington DC), and Sunny Mann (London). The centerpiece of the webinar was a fireside chat led by Roberto Cursano with Giovanni Brignone, one of the lead officials for sanctions…
European authorities have reached political agreement on two new initiatives which come in the context of the ‘Freeze and Seize’ Task Force, set up by the Commission in March 2022, and which will contribute to the enforcement of EU sanctions. The measure include the harmonisation of criminal offences and penalties for the violation of EU sanctions, and a new Directive to bolster the EU’s powers of asset recovery and confiscation. Harmonisation of criminal offences for…
The EU has published an update to its list of goods regarded as “economically critical” to Russia. Amongst these are hydraulic power engines and motors, concrete or mortar mixers, and machinery for public works. The amended list can be found here.