The U.K.'s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation updated its Russia sanctions guidance on licenses that permit conduct otherwise barred by regulation 54C. Regulation 54C covers the provision of "accounting, advertising, architectural, auditing, business and management consulting, engineering, IT consultancy and design and public relations services," to a person linked with Russia, the EU Sanctions blog reported. The guidance clarifies that a license may be granted under this regulation "if it is necessary for ensuring critical energy supply to any country."

European countries not in the EU aligned with a recent sanctions decision from the European Council under the Syria sanctions regime. The council said it exempted for six months restrictions for humanitarian work in light of the recent earthquakes that devastated the country. North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Armenia also imposed the exemption.

The U.K. and Ukraine penned a digital trade deal March 20 to extend until March 2024 the removal of tariffs on all Ukrainian products. The deal guarantees Ukraine access to the financial services "crucial for reconstruction efforts through the deal's facilitation of cross-border data flows," while allowing Ukrainian businesses to "trade more efficiently" via electronic transactions, e-signatures and e-contracts, the Department for International Trade said.

The U.K. removed Irish journalist Brian McDonald from its Russia sanctions regime. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation also amended information for Igor Viktorovich Makarov, president of ARETI International Group, and struck a duplicate entry for Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant.

The U.K. added seven people to its Iran human rights sanctions regime, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation said. OFSI added Yahya Ala'oddini, Jamal Babamoradi, Ahmad Karimi, Ali Asghar Nourouzi and Seyyed Aminollah Emami Tabatabai, all of whom are directors of the board of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Cooperative Foundation; Alireza Heydarnia, commander of the IRGC for the Alborz province; and Ahmed Zulqadr, IRGC commander.

A Black Sea grain export deal, allowing continued safe passage of certain Ukrainian agricultural exports amid the country’s war with Russia, has been extended (see 2207250004). Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov tweeted March 18 that the U.N., Turkey and others worked with Russia to extend the deal for another 120 days, although Russia’s foreign ministry said it agreed to a 60-day extension, the Associated Press reported.

The EU added eight people and one entity to its Iran sanctions regime, the European Council announced. The individuals are members of the judiciary responsible for issuing death sentences in "unfair trials and for the torturing of convicts," conservative clerics, a member of the Iranian Parliament, spokespeople for the Parliament's cultural commission and the Headquarters for Enjoining Right and Forbidding Evil, and an official with Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. The listed entity is the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution. The sanctions on Iran now cover 204 people and 34 entities.

The U.K. Supreme Court ruled Ukraine can defend a $3 billion Eurobond lawsuit on the grounds it was forced to take on the debt in 2013 due to threats from Russia. The Law Debenture Trust Corp., which is incorporated in England and Wales, sued on Russia's behalf. Ukraine said it need not pay the loan because it was procured by duress stemming from illegal pressure and threats, including sanctions.

A group of European countries not in the EU aligned with a European Council decision to extend until March 6, 2024, restrictions related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway also extended the restriction, the council said March 15.

The U.K. on March 16 updated its guidance relating to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation's enforcement and monetary penalties for financial sanctions breaches to include a new section on ownership and control, according to the EU Sanctions blog. The new section states that where OFSI finds a sanctions breach, and an "incorrect assessment of ownership and control of an entity is relevant to the commission of the breach, OFSI will consider the degree and quality of research and due diligence conducted on the ownership and control of that entity," the blog post said.