View the recorded sessions from our 2023 Virtual Global Trade Conference where international trade compliance lawyers from around the world reviewed major developments impacting international trade.

On 27 June 2023, the US Departments of State, the Treasury, Labor, Commerce, and Homeland Security, and the United States Agency for International Development issued a joint advisory — the Africa Gold Advisory — that (i) highlights the opportunities and specific risks raised by the gold trade across sub-Saharan Africa and (ii) encourages industry participants to adopt and apply strengthened due diligence practices to guard against such risks.

On 1 May 2023, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued General License No. 42 under the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations, three new Venezuela-related Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and also amended one Venezuela-related FAQ. These developments occurred in the context of efforts by creditors to enforce judgments against Venezuela and appear to have been in response to a request from the Special Master for the US District Court for the District of Delaware to allow a court-ordered sale of shares in the US parent company of Citgo Petroleum Corp. to proceed in order to resolve a long-running legal dispute between a Canadian mining company and the Government of Venezuela.

Welcome to our Virtual Year-End Review of Import/Export and Trade Compliance Developments Conference resource center. Baker McKenzie’s international trade compliance lawyers from around the world discussed the major global legislative, judicial and administrative activities and trends in export controls, trade sanctions, customs compliance, and import requirements in nine 75 minute sessions which took place from 15 to 17 November 2022.

On 17 October 2022, OFSI and OFAC issued a joint statement to reiterate the close working relationship between the two agencies, explaining the rationale behind increased OFSI-OFAC co-operation and how this will manifest in practice. The statement follows a technical exchange attended by OFAC and OFSI in London, which concluded on 13 October 2022.

Baker McKenzie’s Sanctions Blog published the alert titled OFAC amends existing and issues new General Licenses under Russia sanctions to authorize pension payments to non-US persons outside of Russia and closing individual accounts at blocked banks on 29 August 2022. Read the article via the link here. Please also visit ourSanctions Blog for the most recent updates.

Baker McKenzie’s Sanctions Blog published the alert titled OFAC Publishes New and Amended FAQs Regarding the Russia Investment Ban on 8 June 2022. Read the article via the link here. Please also visit our Sanctions Blog for the most recent updates.

On May 12, 2022, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued Syria General License No. 22 (“GL 22“), authorizing certain activities in particular sectors of the Syrian economy that are otherwise prohibited under the Syrian Sanctions Regulations in specified regions of Syria not controlled by the Assad regime. According to the US Statement Department’s press release, GL 22 was issued in support of the Biden Administration’s strategy to defeat ISIS by promoting economic stabilization in areas previously controlled by ISIS.

Baker McKenzie’s Sanctions Blog published the alert titled BIS Updates List of Aircraft Exported to Russia or Belarus in Apparent Violation of the EAR on 23 April 2022. Read the article via the link here. Please also visit our Sanctions Blog for the most recent updates.

Baker McKenzie’s international trade compliance lawyers from around the world discussed the major global legislative, judicial and administrative activities and trends in export controls, trade sanctions, customs compliance, and import requirements in nine 75 minute sessions which took place from 16 to 18 November 2021.