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…
Since we published our blog post on the relaxation of the Syria sanctions over the weekend, there have been two more related developments this week: (1) US guidance on the Syria sanctions relaxed on Friday, May 23, and (2) the EU’s move to formally lift nearly all of its remaining sanctions on Syria. United States: Guidance on Syria Sanctions Relaxation On Wednesday, May 28, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) in the US Treasury…
In less than two weeks, we have seen Syria go from one of the most heavily sanctioned countries on the planet to a country well on the road to establishing normal trade relations with the Western world. The latest flurry of developments started on May 13, 2025, when President Trump caught much of the world by surprise when he said in a speech in Riyadh: “I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria…
As announced in its press release, on 24 February 2025, exactly three years after Russia invaded Ukraine, the EU published its 16th package of sanctions against Russia in the Official Journal. The package entered into force on 25 February 2025. The EU also introduced new measures against Belarus and Crimea and Sevastopol and certain non-Government controlled areas of Ukraine, largely aligning with the Russia sanctions measures. Aside from additional designated person listings, this latest package…