OFAC compliance
Trade and geopolitical risk compliance sits at the center of the most active U.S. sanctions enforcement cycle in a decade, with the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control expanding its Specially Designated Nationals list at a pace that outstrips most internal review cadences. The U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security and the U.S. Department of State Directorate of Defense Trade Controls have layered export controls and foreign direct product rules on top of OFAC designations, meaning a single counterparty can trigger exposure across three parallel frameworks. Compliance teams are cross-referencing beneficial ownership data against updated SDN entries before each transaction cycle, not on a quarterly schedule.
Watch
- SDN list amendments targeting Russian and Chinese dual-use technology entities
- OFAC 50 Percent Rule: indirect ownership exposure through newly designated parents
- BIS Entity List additions that overlap with existing OFAC-sanctioned counterparties
- General License expiration dates for wind-down authorizations in active conflict regions
- OFAC enforcement actions citing inadequate third-party due diligence as the primary violation
Recent material activity in Trade & Geopolitical Risk
ITC lifts partial suspension of exclusion and cease-and-desist orders covering photodynamic therapy systems under Sun Pharma patent
The U.S. International Trade Commission granted Sun Pharmaceutical Industries' request on September 4, 2026 to lift the partial suspension of enforcement of a limited exclusion order and cease-and-desist orders tied to U…
Read a full sample brief →USITC adds AnaBio Technologies Unlimited Company as respondent in coated confectionery Section 337 investigation
The U.S. International Trade Commission declined to review an administrative law judge's initial determination on September 4, 2026, granting an unopposed motion to amend the complaint in an active Section 337 investigat…
Read a full sample brief →HMRC updates CDS BIRDS and CCR completion instructions to accept EU EORI numbers from 4 July 2026
HMRC updated the Customs Declaration Service BIRDS and Customs Clearance Request completion instructions on 4 September 2026. The revision accepts EU-country EORI numbers in specified data elements from 4 July 2026 and p…
Read a full sample brief →HMRC updates CDS Customs Clearance Request completion guide for inventory exports to reflect BIST creation and EU EORI acceptance
HMRC published an updated Data Element Completion Guide on September 4, 2026 for Customs Declaration Service Customs Clearance Requests covering inventory exports only. The update reflects the creation of the Department …
Read a full sample brief →HMRC updates UK import and export prohibitions guidance to reflect new Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade
The UK government updated its standing guidance on import and export prohibitions and restrictions on September 4, 2026. The update reflects the creation of the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIS…
Read a full sample brief →HMRC updates CDS Appendix 5A National document codes with multiple additions, deletions, and amendments effective across several dates
HMRC published an updated Customs Declaration Service Data Element 2/3 Appendix 5A National on 4 September 2026, consolidating multiple document code changes. The update adds new codes, removes deprecated codes, and amen…
Read a full sample brief →HMRC updates CDS Appendix 5C licence-type code tables with three new document codes effective September 2026
HMRC published an update to the Customs Declaration Service Data Element 2/3 Appendix 5C guidance on 4 September 2026, adding document codes X803, L159, and 9L51 to the declarable licence type set. The update also rename…
Read a full sample brief →Dutch Customs activates Digital Dossier for DECO declarations on 19 September 2026
Dutch Customs published a notice on 4 September 2026 announcing that the Digital Dossier system will become available for DECO declarations on 19 September 2026. From that date, declarants must submit supporting document…
Read a full sample brief →CBIC mandates structured customs checklists for cosmetics, drugs, and medical devices at PGA-facilitated import clearance
India's Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs issued Circular 40/2026 on September 3, 2026, requiring customs officers to complete mandatory compliance checklists before granting out-of-charge on Partner Government…
Read a full sample brief →India CBIC amends EMI Scheme documentation requirements, rationalizing importer compliance obligations under customs circular
India's Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs issued Circular 39/2026-Customs on September 3, 2026, amending the documentation framework for the Eligible Manufacturer Importer Scheme established in February 2026. T…
Read a full sample brief →