OFAC SANCTIONS RESOURCES AND RECENT ACTIONS
Below we have provided, for your convenience, a list of the current economic sanctions programs enforced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). They are divided into two broad categories:
- Sanctions by Country
- Sanctions by Law Enforcement Program
New information available on the changes in the United States' policy regarding Cuba.
Sanctions By Country:
Balkans-Related
Latest action taken: OFAC Adds Balkans Designations to the SDN List (January 1, 2017).
Overview of Balkans Sanctions:
OFAC initially implemented the Balkans-Related Sanctions Program pursuant to Executive Order 13219, which was issued by President George W. Bush on June 27, 2001. This sanctions program designated individuals and entities determined—by the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with the Secretary of State—to be involved in extremist violence which took place in 'the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, in southern Serbia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and elsewhere in the Western Balkans region' beginning in 1999.
Although President George W. Bush terminated the Balkans-related national emergency in 2003 (Exec. Order 13304), a number of Balkans-related designations remained on—and were later added to—the SDN List.
Belarus
Latest action taken: OFAC Issues Belarus General License 2E (April 24, 2017).
Overview of Belarus Sanctions:
Pursuant to Executive Order 13405, issued by President George W. Bush on June 19, 2006, OFAC implemented sanctions against individuals and entities determined—by the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with the Secretary of State—to 'be responsible for, or to have participated in' activity that has undermined democratic processes, human rights abuses related to political oppression, or public corruption in Belarus. 31 CFR Part 548.
Sanctions by Law Enforcement Program:
Counter Narcotics Trafficking Sanctions
Latest action taken: OFAC Designated Ten Kingpin-related Individuals and 14 Kingpin-related Entities, Adding Them to the SDN List (November 19, 2014)
Overview:
OFAC economic sanctions were first implemented against narcotics traffickers in October of 1995, when President Bill Clinton issued Executive Order 12978. Exec. Order 12978 targeted individuals and entities involved in Colombia-centered narcotics trafficking. However, in 1997, Congress passed the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (hereafter, 'Kingpin Act') to more effectively apply OFAC sanctions against foreign narcotics traffickers and their organizations.
