Under the terms of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, Congress had until September 18 to reject President Obama’s promised sanctions relief for Iran agreed to under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Although the House of Representatives voted to reject the deal, Senate Democrats blocked debate on a…
On July 22, 2015, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) released amendments to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) implementing the Secretary of State’s May 29, 2015 decision to rescind the designation of Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. The removal of Cuba from Country Group…
On 19 June, the European Council extended EU sanctions against Russia pursuant to Council Decision (CFSP 2015/959). This follows a series of increasingly coordinated actions by the US and EU, such as the joint statement produced at the G7 meeting two weeks ago, to show a united front against continued…
On Tuesday, June 8 in Pillsbury’s London office, Pillsbury and the Eurasia Group hosted the first event in their Sanctions & Market Opportunities Series entitled “Iran Sanctions, Investment and Trade: Preparing for Divergent Outcomes.” During the event, panelists discussed the likelihood for a final agreement related to Iran’s nuclear program…
On May 13, 2015 Senator Lisa Murkowski, Chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, introduced the Energy Supply and Distribution Act of 2015 (S.1312), which if enacted would lift the crude oil export ban. Co-sponsored with Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and twelve Republicans, the bill would permit…
On August 13, 2014, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued new guidance on ownership/control for determining blocked parties. This represented the first significant update on this topic since February 14, 2008, and may have important practical implications for how companies conduct due diligence, assess whether potential business associates…