Professional Documents
Culture Documents
FINANCIAL SANCTIONS:
FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS (FAQs)
January 2016
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Contents
1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 8
1.1 A note on publication arrangements ...................................................................................... 9
2 UK Financial Sanctions – a guide for beginners ............................................................................ 10
3 The Sanctions and Illicit Finance Team (SIF) ................................................................................. 11
3.1 Who is responsible for sanctions policy in the UK ................................................................ 11
3.2 Who is responsible for administration of financial sanctions in the UK? ............................. 11
3.3 Who is responsible for trade sanctions in the UK? ............................................................... 11
3.4 What is the role of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)? ................................................. 11
3.5 How can I contact HM Treasury about financial sanctions? ................................................. 12
3.6 What is the Treasury’s response time to enquiries? ............................................................ 12
3.7 How do I keep up to date with financial sanctions in the UK? ............................................. 13
4 Financial Sanctions – the basics ................................................................................................... 14
4.1 Why does the UK apply financial sanctions? ........................................................................ 14
4.2 What are financial sanctions? .............................................................................................. 14
4.3 How do I know which financial sanctions are in force in the UK? ........................................ 15
4.4 What about other countries’ financial sanctions that may apply to me? ............................ 15
5 Financial sanctions – asset freezing and other measures ............................................................ 16
5.1 What do financial sanctions measures involve? ................................................................... 16
5.2 What does an asset freeze do? ............................................................................................ 16
5.3 What are funds and economic resources? ........................................................................... 16
5.4 Are frozen funds confiscated by HM Treasury? ................................................................... 16
5.5 Can somebody make funds available to a designated person? ............................................ 17
5.6 Can somebody make financial services available to a designated person? ......................... 17
5.7 Can somebody make economic resources available to a designated person? .................... 18
5.8 Can somebody make funds available for the benefit of a designated person? ................... 18
5.9 Can somebody make financial services available for the benefit of a designated person?. 18
5.10 When is it prohibited to make an economic resource available for the benefit of a
designated person? .......................................................................................................................... 19
5.11 What is a “significant” financial benefit? ............................................................................. 19
5.12 Can licensed funds be spent on anything? ........................................................................... 20
5.13 Where can I find advice on indirectly making funds available to a designated person where
funds are made available to an entity owned or controlled by a designated person? .................... 20
6 How do sanctions affect me? ....................................................................................................... 21
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6.1 How do sanctions affect me if I am a designated person? ................................................... 21
6.2 I have commercial dealings with a designated person ......................................................... 21
6.3 I am a private individual or charity ....................................................................................... 21
6.4 I am a student from a country against which financial sanctions are in force ..................... 22
6.5 What does freezing assets mean for a bank that holds funds? ............................................ 22
6.6 I am a lawyer acting for a designated person. Do I have to freeze their funds in my client
account? ........................................................................................................................................... 22
7 Compliance and the Law .............................................................................................................. 23
7.1 What sanctions law applies in the UK? ................................................................................ 23
7.2 Are United Nations Security Council Resolutions and European Union Regulations directly
applicable in UK law? ....................................................................................................................... 23
7.3 Who must comply with financial sanctions in place in the UK? ........................................... 24
7.4 Do financial sanctions apply to the subsidiaries of UK companies outside the UK? ............ 24
7.5 What reporting requirements exist for ‘relevant institutions’? ........................................... 24
7.6 What powers does HM Treasury have to request information? .......................................... 24
7.7 What onward disclosure is allowed? .................................................................................... 25
7.8 What are the consequences for failure to comply with information requests? .................. 25
7.9 Is it an offence to make funds available to a target of financial sanctions legislation? ....... 25
7.10 Circumvention of sanctions .................................................................................................. 26
7.11 What are the penalties for committing an offence under financial sanctions legislation? . 26
7.12 I have carried out a transaction that is subject to financial sanctions; what should I do? .. 26
7.13 What if I did not know I was breaching a prohibition? ......................................................... 26
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8.10 How often is the Consolidated List updated? ....................................................................... 30
8.11 How soon should a business implement changes to the Consolidated List? ....................... 30
8.12 Why can’t I access up-to-date lists or notices? .................................................................... 30
8.13 Does the European Union maintain its own consolidated list of targets? ........................... 30
8.14 Does HM Treasury have a web-based Consolidated List search engine? ............................. 30
9 Challenging a designation decision .............................................................................................. 31
9.1 How do I challenge my listing if I am listed by the UK? ........................................................ 31
9.2 How do I apply to be removed or delisted from the United Nations Al-Qaida and Taliban
list or other UN sanctions listing? ..................................................................................................... 31
9.3 How do I apply to be removed or delisted from an EU sanctions listing? ............................ 31
10 Licences and exemptions ......................................................................................................... 32
10.1 What is an exemption? ......................................................................................................... 32
10.2 What is a licence? ................................................................................................................. 32
10.3 What types of licences are available? .................................................................................. 32
10.4 What activities might a licence cover? ................................................................................. 32
10.5 What is a basic expense of an individual? ............................................................................ 33
10.6 How do I apply for a licence? ............................................................................................... 33
10.7 How long does it take to obtain a Treasury licence? ............................................................ 34
10.8 Do I have to pay HM Treasury for a licence? ........................................................................ 34
10.9 Who can apply for a licence? ............................................................................................... 34
10.10 Where can I find out more about the general licences in force? ..................................... 34
10.11 What should I do with any licence issued to me? ............................................................ 34
10.12 Can I check that a licence is valid? .................................................................................... 34
10.13 When can a licence be changed? ..................................................................................... 35
10.14 What do I do with a licence that concerns a delisted person? ......................................... 35
10.15 What can I do if a licence application is refused? ............................................................ 35
11 Financial sanctions – the regimes ............................................................................................. 36
11.1 How many regimes are in force? .......................................................................................... 36
11.2 Where do I find details of the financial sanctions regimes in force in the UK? .................... 36
12 Sanctions – business policies and procedures .......................................................................... 37
12.1 What policies and procedures do I need to put in place? .................................................... 37
12.2 What software do I need to buy? ......................................................................................... 37
12.3 What should I tell a customer whose account is frozen? ..................................................... 38
12.4 Do I need to make reports to the Treasury? ........................................................................ 38
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12.5 I have policies and procedures in place for anti-money laundering (AML) reasons – are they
relevant or sufficient? ...................................................................................................................... 39
13 Target matches and name matches ......................................................................................... 40
13.1 What is the difference between a name match and a target match? .................................. 40
13.2 What are the reporting requirements for target matches? ................................................. 40
13.3 How often do I need to scan my customer database for possible target matches? ............ 40
13.4 Should an institution always contact HM Treasury if it has found a name match or a
possible target match? ..................................................................................................................... 40
13.5 Can I assume a UK-regulated financial services firm is not a designated person? ............... 41
14 Other advice and guidance ....................................................................................................... 42
14.1 Is any other financial sanctions guidance available? ............................................................ 42
14.1.1 The Financial Conduct Authority .................................................................................. 42
14.1.2 The Joint Money Laundering Steering Group [JMLSG] ................................................. 42
14.1.3 Lloyds Insurance Market .............................................................................................. 42
14.1.4 The Law Society ............................................................................................................ 43
14.1.5 HM Revenue and Customs [HMRC] .............................................................................. 43
14.1.6 The Gambling Commission ........................................................................................... 43
14.1.7 The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors ................................................................. 43
15 ANNEX A. Glossary of definitions ............................................................................................. 44
16 ANNEX B. Further Guidance for designated persons under Terrorism / Al Qaida regimes ..... 46
16.1.1 Can I be paid interest on my bank account/savings? ................................................... 46
16.1.2 Can someone pay a cheque, or transfer funds, into my frozen account? .................... 46
16.1.3 Can I take out insurance? ............................................................................................. 46
16.1.4 Can I invest my funds? .................................................................................................. 46
16.1.5 Can I have a debit card? ............................................................................................... 46
16.1.6 Can I have a pre-paid card? .......................................................................................... 47
16.1.7 Can someone give/lend me money? ............................................................................ 47
16.1.8 Can someone give my spouse/partner money? ........................................................... 47
16.1.9 Can someone buy me a drink/meal? ............................................................................ 47
16.1.10 Can I accept a gift? ................................................................................................... 47
16.1.11 Can someone lend me something? .......................................................................... 47
16.1.12 Can I borrow a Pay As You Go Oyster card from a friend? ....................................... 47
16.1.13 Can someone pay my bill? ........................................................................................ 48
16.1.14 Can I take employment? .......................................................................................... 48
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17 ANNEX C: trade sector advice ................................................................................................... 49
17.1 GENERAL COMMERCIAL ISSUES ............................................................................................ 49
17.1.1 Can I make payments to a designated person?............................................................. 49
17.1.2 A designated person owes my business money. Can I write off the debt? ................... 49
17.1.3 A designated person owes my business money. Do I need a licence to pursue the
debt? 49
17.1.4 I’ve got a garnishee Order nisi/absolute against a designated person. Can the Treasury
provide me with details of frozen accounts? ................................................................................ 49
17.1.5 Is a licence required to exercise a right of set off?........................................................ 49
17.1.6 Do financial sanctions mean I cannot trade with persons or entities in countries
subject to financial sanctions? ...................................................................................................... 50
17.1.7 How can sanctions affect my ability to export goods? .................................................. 50
17.1.8 I want to sell humanitarian goods, medicines etc to a country subject to financial
sanctions. Will financial sanctions affect that? ............................................................................. 50
17.2 BANKING ............................................................................................................................... 51
17.2.1 I have a designated person as a customer – what should I do? .................................... 51
17.2.2 Do I need a licence to close a frozen account and transfer any balance to the
customer? ..................................................................................................................................... 51
17.2.3 Can I apply interest to an overdrawn, loan or mortgage frozen account? .................... 51
17.2.4 Are financial institutions expected to know if a credit received for a frozen account
relates to a prior contract? What obligation is there on the bank to investigate the source of
credits to frozen accounts? ........................................................................................................... 51
17.2.5 Can firms lend money or provide credit to a designated person? ................................ 52
17.2.6 Can I apply interest to frozen accounts? ....................................................................... 52
17.2.7 I am a bank. Can I credit funds transferred to the account of a designated person?.. 52
17.2.8 Can I credit funds received from a designated person to their frozen account? ......... 52
17.3 INSURANCE ................................................................................................................................. 53
17.3.1 What is the general effect of sanctions on insurance businesses? ............................... 53
17.3.2 What should an insurer do if an existing customer becomes a designated person after
the inception of cover? ................................................................................................................. 53
17.3.3 What is the position if a policy holder names a designated person as a beneficiary?. 54
17.3.4 As an insurer I may not know the identity of every beneficiary of the cover I provide,
because the business is managed under a delegated authority or bordereau arrangement. What
should I do? ................................................................................................................................... 54
17.3.5 As an insurer, I may only receive partial information from third parties. What should I
do? 54
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17.3.6 I provide pensions or other products to an employer, and may not know who the
relevant employees are. What should I do? ................................................................................. 55
17.3.7 I am a reinsurer. What do sanctions mean for me? ..................................................... 55
17.3.8 I am an insurance agent or broker. What do sanctions mean for me? ........................ 55
17.3.9 The Syrian insurance ban refers to “compulsory or third party insurance”. What does
the term ‘compulsory’ mean in this regard? ................................................................................ 55
17.4 Motor insurance ................................................................................................................... 55
17.4.1 Does a firm providing a complimentary vehicle or temporary hire car in relation to a
motor vehicle insurance policy to a designated person require a licence? ................................. 55
17.5 LEGAL SERVICES .................................................................................................................... 57
17.5.1 We are a firm of solicitors acting for a designated person. Do we need a licence? ... 57
17.5.2 Do solicitors acting for a designated person who is funded by legal aid or by other
third parties require a licence to deal with those funds? ............................................................. 57
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1 INTRODUCTION
These FAQs have been produced to help businesses and others understand both the UN/EU-
mandated “country sanctions” regimes and the domestic terrorism measures that apply in the UK.
These FAQs do not supersede or replace the legal requirements, and do not constitute legal advice.
If you are NOT familiar with UK financial sanctions you will find it helpful to read the summary in
Part 2 as an introduction to the issues.
These FAQs should be read in conjunction with the relevant sanctions specific legislation that applies
in each sanctions regime, and which is available via the list of current sanctions regimes at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-treasury/series/financial-sanctions-regime-
specific-consolidated-lists-and-releases
In addition, Part 15 includes a short glossary, Part 16 offers further advice specifically for persons
designated under the Terrorism and Al Qaida regimes, and Part 17 includes advice on general
commercial questions and points for the banking, insurance and legal sectors.
These FAQs deal with financial sanctions, such as asset freezing measures. They do not cover other
sanctions measures such as export restrictions or travel bans. Nor do they cover the financial measures
associated with export and import restrictions, such as prohibitions on the provision of financing
or financial assistance connected with prohibited transactions.
COUNTRY SANCTIONS.
“Country sanctions” refers to the various country-specific financial sanctions regimes that apply in
the UK under a UN or EU mandate. These target institutions or people in, or linked to, specific
countries.
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TERRORIST ASSET FREEZING.
The UK operates certain terrorism linked financial sanctions, under UNSCR 1373 (2001) (terrorism)
and UNSCR 1988 (2011) (Al-Qaida). The policy objective of the terrorist asset freezing measures is to
impose those controls that are necessary to protect against terrorist finance risks.
In these FAQ’s we use the term ‘person’ to refer to a legal or natural persons, that is to say individual
people or entities of any sort.
August 2013
Financial Sanctions, HM Treasury
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2 UK Financial Sanctions – a guide for beginners
This is a very high level summary of how financial sanctions work in the UK, and is designed to
serve as a starting point, before users go the main body of these FAQs.
This section provides a brief introduction to UK Financial Sanctions. You should read this section first
if you are not familiar with UK financial sanctions.
Like other advanced economies, the UK operates a range of financial sanctions. These may follow
action at the United Nations, European or domestic (UK) level, because of human rights abuses or
other violations of international norms of behaviour, or to minimise the risk of terrorism within the
UK.
Financial sanctions effect designated person – individuals or entities. Those designated persons
(‘sanctions targets’) are listed in the Consolidated List published on the Gov.UK website.
Financial sanctions invariably include asset freezing measures – these mean that funds are frozen by
the bank or other institutions involved. Unless licensed by the Treasury a designated person can
neither access those funds (ie spend them or pay them away) nor can they be paid or given funds or
economic resources.
In some cases (domestic terrorism designations and dealing with Syria) there are additional
restrictions on providing designated persons with financial services or insurance.
If a person (whether a designated person or not) needs a licence – for example to make or receive a
payment that is blocked by UK financial sanctions - they should write to HM Treasury setting out the
facts. A series of forms is available to help licence applicants provide the necessary information.
Businesses should have policies and procedures to ensure that they comply with their obligations
under sanctions.
Where a business carries out checks it may find that it has a customer with a name (or other details)
identical or similar to those of a designated person. Where this is the case the business needs to
decide as far as possible whether their customer is actually the designated person or not. If the
business decides their customer is a designated person they should freeze the funds (but not send
them to HM Treasury) and report the full facts to HM Treasury using this email address:
financialsanctions@hmtreasury.gsi.gov.uk
If, after examination of all the information they may already have, OR can acquire through additional
enquiries, business remains unsure whether a person is designated they should report all the facts to
HM Treasury.
HM Treasury operates telephone and email enquiry services, but you should study the relevant law
and the full body of theses FAQs before submitting an enquiry.
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3 The Sanctions and Illicit Finance Team (SIF)
https://www.gov.uk/sanctions-embargoes-and-restrictions
• the implementation and administration of international (i.e. UN and EU) financial sanctions
in effect in the UK;
• domestic designations under the Terrorist Asset-Freezing etc. Act 2010; and
The Treasury produces a range of financial sanctions related material for businesses and others,
including these FAQs. That material is available via the Gov.uk website here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-treasury/series/financial-sanctions-regime-
specific-consolidated-lists-and-releases
https://www.gov.uk/sanctions-embargoes-and-restrictions
The FCA has rule-making, investigative and enforcement powers that are used to protect and
regulate the financial services industry.
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The FCA’s Handbook of Rules and Guidance requires, among other things, that banks establish and
maintain effective systems and controls to prevent the risk that they might be used to further
financial crime, including sanctions violations.
financialsanctions@hmtreasury.gsi.gov.uk
Financial Sanctions
Sanctions & Illicit Finance
HM Treasury
1 Horse Guards Road
London SW1A 2HQ
We prefer to receive written enquiries in electronic form (for example as an email or a PDF of a
letter sent in an email), because that is how we manage and record enquiries. It is not necessary to
send a paper copy of a letter sent electronically.
Alternatively, if you have an enquiry about UK financial sanctions, you can call the Treasury Financial
Sanctions helpline on 020 7270 5454. Please note HM Treasury is unable to offer assistance with
complex enquiries over the telephone.
We encourage all of those making enquiries, but especially those most familiar with these regimes
such as lawyers and compliance staff in financial institutions, to considered the relevant legislation
and guidance on the Treasury’s website and form and set out their own view on the issue in their
enquiries.
You are strongly encouraged to look at the Treasury’s website, including this document to see if this
provides the answer to your enquiry before submitting questions to the Treasury.
Please note that whilst the Treasury is willing to assist with enquiries, it does not provide legal advice
and its views are not determinative of questions of law. It is recommended, where necessary, that
independent legal advice is sought.
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3.7 How do I keep up to date with financial sanctions in the UK?
HM Treasury operates a free subscription service which allows subscribers to receive updates
whenever there are changes to financial sanctions effective in the UK.
https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKHMTREAS/subscriber/new
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4 Financial Sanctions – the basics
Sanctions are normally used by the international community for one or more of the following
reasons:
• As an enforcement tool when international peace and security has been threatened and
diplomatic efforts have failed;
Under Chapter VII of the United Nations (UN) Charter, the UN Security Council can take enforcement
measures to maintain or restore international peace and security. Such measures range from financial
sanctions to international military action. Article 41 of the UN Charter allows the Security Council to
decide what measures not involving the use of armed force are to be employed to give effect to its
decisions, and it may call upon the Members of the United Nations to apply such measures. The
range of sanctions can vary from comprehensive financial and trade sanctions to more targeted
measures such as arms embargoes, travel bans, financial or diplomatic restrictions. In the modern
(post-World War 2) era, targeted sanctions are the norm.
In addition, the European Union applies sanctions in pursuit of the specific objectives of the Common
Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) as set out in the Treaty of the European Union. Sanctions in the
CFSP framework include the interruption or reduction of financial relations with third countries
and restrictions against specific individuals or entities. They also include the interruption or reduction
of diplomatic relations, restrictions on admission and other measures not affecting financial relations
with third countries.
Restrictive measures are applied by the EU either in implementation of sanctions adopted by the UN
Security Council in accordance with Chapter VII of the UN Charter or autonomously within the
framework of the CFSP.
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Finally the UK may apply domestic financial restriction measures. In practice it does this to respond
to certain terrorism threats.
4.3 How do I know which financial sanctions are in force in the UK?
The Treasury publishes material on the gov.uk website about all of the current financial sanctions
regimes that are in force in the UK – see:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-treasury/series/financial-sanctions-regime-
specific-consolidated-lists-and-releases
Under the individual entries for each country or regime there are details about the regime, crucial
documents such as key UN and EU measures, UK legislation, Treasury notices, and a list of persons
covered by the regime.
You can keep in touch with the main changes to the UK sanctions regime by subscribing to the
Treasury’s Financial Sanctions subscription facility – see paragraph 3.7.
4.4 What about other countries’ financial sanctions that may apply to me?
You may be affected by foreign sanctions, which are sanctions operated by other countries, for
example because of the ownership of your business by a foreign corporation, or because of where or
how you carry on your business.
In addition, the nature of much international trade finance means financial institutions encounter
other financial sanctions regimes.
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5 Financial sanctions – asset freezing and other measures
• A prohibition on dealing with the funds or economic resources belonging to or owned, held
or controlled by a designated person, and
• A prohibitions on providing or performing other financial services (see, for example, the
Terrorism Asset-Freezing etc Act 2010, which prohibits the provision of unlicensed financial
services such as insurance to designated persons ), or
• A prohibition on the provision of insurance or reinsurance to certain Governments or public
bodies, or those acting on their behalf. (See the Syrian regime for details).
“Deal with”, in relation to funds, (see the glossary for definition of “funds”), includes to move,
transfer, alter, use, allow access to, or deal with in any way that would result in any change in the
funds’ volume, amount, location, ownership, possession, character, destination, or any other change
that would enable the funds to be used. This also includes the management of securities (shares,
bonds, etc) and other assets.
“Deal with”, in relation to economic resources, (see the glossary for definition of “economic
resources”) means exchange, or use in exchange, for funds, goods or services. It is not prohibited for
a designated person to use the economic resource for normal use within the law (e.g. using their car
to do the shopping) but a designated person could not sell or use the resource to generate funds
(e.g. by selling the car or using it for a taxi or courier business) without a licence from the Treasury
(see Section 10).
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This means that HM Treasury cannot pay the liabilities of a designated person using frozen funds
(although it may be possible for certain liabilities to be met out of frozen funds, if a licensing ground
is available). A freeze just means the funds must stay where they are and cannot be dealt with unless
under licence.
Gifts, loans, or any other transactions that give designated persons the control of funds will be
prohibited without a licence from the Treasury. Gifts, in this context, can include (but are not
limited to) seasonal gifts and birthday presents to designated persons, where the gift would come
within the definition of “funds” (or, in certain circumstances, an “economic resource” - see below at
5.7). A gift voucher would be classed as “funds” in this context.
If the designated person is owed some money, both parties would need to be included in a Treasury
licence for the debt to be settled. For example, if the designated person is a landlord, both they and
their tenant would need to be covered by a licence for rent payments to be made – the designated
person to receive the funds and to make any payments out that they need to make, and the tenant
to make funds available to the designated person.
This restriction on providing financial services is not included in legislation covering people
designated under other regimes. However, other prohibitions may be engaged in the provision of
financial services. For example it is not prohibited to provide banking or insurance services to a
designated person (subject to the prohibitions on insurance or reinsurance under the Syria regime),
but any funds should be frozen by the financial services provider and only released to the designated
individual in accordance with a licence from the Treasury. Similarly, the provision of investment
services will be prohibited under the prohibition on dealing with a designated person’s funds as this
would result in a change in the funds’ volume, amount, location, or character.
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5.7 Can somebody make economic resources available to a designated person?
For a definition of ‘economic resources’, see the GLOSSARY. It is a criminal offence to make
economic resources available, directly or indirectly, to a designated person knowing or suspecting
that the designated person is likely to exchange them for or use them to generate funds, goods or
services. It is not, however, prohibited for someone to make an economic resource available to a
designated person for their everyday ‘non-business’ use, where such use will not result in the
designated person generating funds, goods or services.
For example, these measures would not prevent someone lending or giving a designated person a
bicycle, e.g. for recreation purposes. However, if the person knew or suspected that the designated
person would use it to obtain money (e.g. by finding paid employment as a courier or by selling it),
this would be prohibited. Note that engaging in any conduct which circumvents the prohibitions of
the asset freeze is a criminal offence. Thus if someone gave a designated person a bicycle in good
faith for them to use for their own personal use as transport, rather than to generate income, but
the designated person then sold the bicycle, the designated person would be committing a criminal
offence, even though the person who gave them the bicycle would not be.
5.8 Can somebody make funds available for the benefit of a designated person?
It is a criminal offence for a person to knowingly, or with reasonable cause to suspect they are doing
so, make funds available to a third party in circumstances where a designated person thereby
obtains or is able to obtain a significant financial benefit.
The aim of this prohibition is to prevent designated persons having access to significant additional
funds because third parties make payments which the designated person would otherwise have to
make. It is not intended to prohibit all payments to non-designated third parties which may benefit
a designated person, but only those where there is a “significant financial benefit”. So, for example,
where a person settles a debt owed by a designated person to a third party, that person has allowed
the designated person to receive a financial benefit (as the designated person no longer has to pay
the debt). Whether this benefit is significant or not will depend on the facts of the case, taking
account, for example, of the income and assets of the designated person and the size of the debt
(see 5.11 below).
The definition of “financial benefit” is broad. It includes, for example, the discharge of a financial
obligation (a debt, commitment or liability) for which the designated person is wholly or partly
responsible. A designated person would be likely to obtain a significant financial benefit if a third
party paid the household bills of a designated person, such as rent or mortgage, utility bills, or met
the cost of regular shopping where the designated person would otherwise be meeting or
contributing to these, however there is no set threshold at which a financial benefit is considered
“significant”: it will depend on the facts of each case (see 5.11 below).
5.9 Can somebody make financial services available for the benefit of a
designated person?
Under the Terrorist Asset-Freezing etc Act 2010 (TAFA), there is a prohibition on making financial
services available for the benefit of a designated person. Note, however, that the insurance general
licence allows insurance providers to provide insurance policies to designated person. The licence
can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/counter-financing-of-terrorism-general-
licenses
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There are no express restrictions on providing financial services for the benefit of persons
designated under other sanctions regimes, although, as set out in 5.6 above, other restrictions may
well in effect prevent the provision of financial services.
It would be prohibited under the Terrorist Asset-Freezing etc Act 2010 for someone to provide
financial services to a third party for the benefit of a designated person if that designated person
thereby obtains a significant financial benefit. A third party could not, therefore allow a designated
person to make transactions through their bank account: this would be a breach of this prohibition
and an offence of circumventing the asset freeze. It would also be prohibited for a TAFA-designated
person to be a named driver on a car insurance policy without a licence from HM Treasury if he
thereby gains a significant financial benefit, e.g. by not having to take out his own insurance.
5.10 When is it prohibited to make an economic resource available for the benefit
of a designated person?
The prohibition makes it a criminal offence for a person to knowingly, or with reasonable cause to
suspect they are doing so, make economic resources available to a third party in circumstances
where a designated person obtains or is able to obtain a significant financial benefit.
The definition of financial benefit is broad. It includes, for example, the discharge of a financial
obligation (a debt, commitment or liability) for which the designated person is wholly or partly
responsible.
The aim of this prohibition is to prevent designated persons gaining access to additional funds
through the provision of economic resources to others. It is not prohibited for someone to make
economic resources available for the benefit of a designated person unless the designated person
obtains a significant financial benefit. So, for example, if someone lent their car to a member of the
designated person’s family, for the purpose of driving the designated person as a passenger this
would clearly be for the benefit of the designated person. However, this would only be prohibited if
the designated person obtained a significant financial benefit from being so driven, e.g. if the
designated person no longer had to spend significant funds on public transport/taxis. As set out
above, the repayment of a loan or discharge of any other financial obligation on behalf a designated
person comes within the definition of “financial benefit” for this purpose. So if someone gave their
car to a third party in settlement of a debt owed to that third party by a designated person this
would be prohibited (as the designated person would no longer have to pay the debt and therefore
would obtain a significant financial benefit from having the economic resource (the car) made
available to the third party on his behalf).
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If there is any doubt, HM Treasury’s guidance may be sought although it is ultimately for parties to
satisfy themselves as to whether the benefit should be considered significant.
Under other UN and EU regimes, there are specific exemptions under which licences can be issued. If
the licence requested does not fall within one of the exemptions, then the licence cannot be issued
by HM Treasury. Before asking HM Treasury to issue a licence under these regimes, you should first
look at the UN Security Council Resolution or EU Regulation under which the designated person is
designated and ascertain whether an exemption applies. All regimes allow for the licensing of
payments to meet the basic expenses of designated persons.
5.13 Where can I find advice on indirectly making funds available to a designated
person where funds are made available to an entity owned or controlled by a
designated person?
Advice issued by the EU is available at:
http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/13/st05/st05993.en13.pdf
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6 How do sanctions affect me?
It is your responsibility to comply with financial sanctions. You may want to seek independent legal
advice if you consider it necessary. Sanctions might affect you if:
• You are involved in any sort of financial business with OR making funds or economic
resources available to or for the benefit of any of the targets of financial sanctions;
• You deal with or have any designated persons as customers, suppliers, bankers, financiers or
investors.
If you are a designated person you will not (without a licence) be able to deal with money, so you
cannot take money from your bank account unless you have been provided with a licence. Nor can
you use any cash or prepaid, debit or credit cards.
If you are designated under the Terrorist Asset-Freezing etc. Act 2010 (“TAFA 2010”) you should read
part 16. You will only be able to access financial services where the provider is licensed. There is
more about the supply of insurance to designated persons in paragraphs 17.3 and 17.4.
It is a matter for the commercial judgement of a bank whether it continues to provide banking
services to businesses dealing with designated persons etc.
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HM Treasury will treat applications for humanitarian licences (for humanitarian fund transfers,
payments for drugs and medicines etc) as a priority.
HM Treasury reminds businesses that the clear wish of the international community, specifically
expressed in sanctions measures with humanitarian provisions, is NOT to prevent the passage of
humanitarian funds or goods. Accordingly banks or other financial institutions should feel able to
safely undertake humanitarian transactions if they are sensibly managed.
Other financial sanctions administrators (such as the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control,
OFAC) publish their own guidance on humanitarian assistance and related exports.
6.4 I am a student from a country against which financial sanctions are in force.
Students may experience difficulties in receiving funds, including sponsorship, from countries where
financial sanctions are in force for a range of reasons, such as disruption to employers or
government departments that pay support, disruption to their family where they receive support
from that source, shortages of funds, or disruption to access to the international banking system, as
well as interruption to the operation of designated banks. Not all of those problems (for example
shortage of funds, or administrative difficulties) will be as a result of financial sanctions.
Sanctions might affect the ability of commercial sponsors or governments to pay students’
educational or living expenses. HM Treasury will consider licence applications in such cases as a
matter of priority. But remember that a licence only permits payments to be lawfully made; a licence
does not mandate or require that a payment is made.
It is a matter for the commercial judgement of a bank whether it continues to provide banking
services to students who are nationals of countries subject to financial sanctions measures.
6.5 What does freezing assets mean for a bank that holds funds?
In practical terms, accounts or other funds held must be frozen (or blocked). They can only be dealt
with, for example released or paid away by the financial institution (or any other person) that holds
them, under the authority of a licence issued by HM Treasury.
6.6 I am a lawyer acting for a designated person. Do I have to freeze their funds in
my client account?
Yes, funds held must be frozen (or blocked). They can only be dealt with, for example released or
paid away by you under the authority of a licence issued by HM Treasury.
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7 Compliance and the Law
NOTE: For the details of each specific financial sanctions regime, please refer to the relevant EU
Regulation and the UK’s enforcing regulations. Legislation is available via the regime-specific
publications at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-treasury/series/financial-sanctions-regime-
specific-consolidated-lists-and-releases
With the exception of the domestic Terrorism and Terrorist Financing regime, which is implemented
by primary domestic legislation, for every individual financial sanctions regime there are two types
of legislative instruments:
(1) an EU Regulation which imposes obligations on UK persons to freeze the assets of designated
persons, refrain from making funds and economic resources available to them and any other
financial prohibitions or restrictions. The EU Regulation will either implement a UN-mandated regime
or an autonomous EU regime; and
(2) a set of UK regulations made under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972, which
enforces the EU Regulation by making it a criminal offence in the UK to breach the EU Regulation’s
measures.
(1) an EU Regulation, 2580/2001, which gives effect to UN Security Council Resolution 1373(2001),
and which imposes specific financial sanctions against certain listed targets; and
(2) The Terrorist Asset-Freezing etc. Act 2010 which (a) enforces the asset freezes in respect of the
EU-listed targets and (b) provides HM Treasury with powers unilaterally to freeze the funds and
economic resources of those suspected or believed to be involved in terrorist activities, and
restricts the making available, directly or indirectly, of funds, financial services, and economic
resources to, or for the benefit of such persons.
7.2 Are United Nations Security Council Resolutions and European Union
Regulations directly applicable in UK law?
EU Regulations imposing and/or implementing sanctions are part of Community law and have direct
effect in the Member States. EU Regulations either implement UN sanctions regimes or implement
autonomous EU regimes.
A set of UK Regulations made under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 is required
to introduce criminal penalties for breaches of the EU Regulation into UK law. The EU Regulation
implements the sanctions and the UK Regulations enforce them.
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United Nations Security Council Resolutions are not directly applicable in UK law. However, under
the United Nations Charter, member states are called upon to give effect to any measures decided
upon by the Security Council. The EU implements the 27 Member States’ UN obligations by adopting
an EU Regulation, which gives effect to the UN measures in UK law. A set of UK Regulations is
required to introduce criminal penalties for breaches of the EU Regulation.
7.3 Who must comply with financial sanctions in place in the UK?
All individuals (irrespective of their nationality) and all legal entities (whether incorporated or
established under UK law or under the law of any other jurisdiction) who are within the UK’s
territory must comply with both EU and UK sanctions regulations that are in force.
Any British national or British legal entity established or incorporated under UK law whose activities
are conducted outside the UK’s territory must also comply with the EU Regulation and the UK
Regulations (or TAFA 2010).
If the subsidiary is incorporated under EU law, it will remain subject to the EU Regulation.
If it is incorporated under the laws of a non-EU country, is outside the territory of the EU, and does
not do business in the EU, it will not be subject to EU sanctions even though its parent company is.
The general position is that relevant institutions must inform the Treasury as soon as practicable if it
knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect, that a person (i) is a designated person, or (ii) has
committed an offence under the licensing, contravention or circumvention provisions of the
regulations, and the information or other matter on which the knowledge or suspicion is based came
to it in the course of carrying on its business. (A relevant institution means an FCA authorised
business, or an equivalent EEA firm, or any form of money service business (foreign exchange
bureaux, money transmitter or cheque casher)).
The general position is that HM Treasury may ask any person in or resident in the UK to furnish any
information he has or controls, or to produce any document in his possession or control, which they
may require for the purpose of ensuring compliance with sanctions law. Any person to whom such a
request is made must comply with it within the required time and in the manner specified, subject
to the obligations of legal professional privilege.
This includes the power to take copies of, or extracts from, any document produced and to request
an explanation of the document.
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There are similar powers under TAFA 2010 and the other terrorism measures.
Information provided to HM Treasury under the exercise of its information powers may only be
further disclosed to other parties in limited circumstances, in accordance with the relevant EU
Regulation. The circumstances where HM Treasury may disclose any information obtained by them
under the relevant UK Regulations or TAFA 2010 are
• to any third party with the consent of the person who, in their own right, is entitled to the
information or to possession of the document, copy or extract;
• to any person who is set out in the Schedule to the relevant UK Regulations, including any
person holding or acting in any office under or in the service of the Crown in respect of the
UK Government;
• for the purpose of giving assistance or co-operation, pursuant to the relevant EU Regulation,
to (in the case of UN-mandated regimes) any organ of the UN or the Council of the European
Union, the European Commission or the Government of a Member State ; or
• with a view to the institution of, or otherwise for the purposes of, any proceedings for an
offence under the relevant UK Regulations or TAFA 2010.
7.8 What are the consequences for failure to comply with information requests?
Any person who:
• without reasonable excuse, refuses or fails within the time and in the manner specified (or, if
no time has been specified, within a reasonable time) to comply with any request made
under the relevant UK Regulations/TAFA 2010;
• intentionally furnishes false information or a false explanation to any person exercising his
powers under the relevant UK Regulations/TAFA 2010; or
• with intent to evade the provisions of the relevant UK Regulations/TAFA 2010, destroys,
mutilates, defaces, secretes or removes any document,
is guilty of an offence.
In general terms, any person to whom the relevant Regulation applies who, without a valid Treasury
licence, makes any funds, economic resources or, in some circumstances, financial (or related)
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services available directly or indirectly to or for the benefit of persons listed under the relevant law is
guilty of an offence.
7.11 What are the penalties for committing an offence under financial sanctions
legislation?
Any person guilty of an offence under the relevant UK Regulations shall be liable on conviction to
imprisonment and/or a fine. The maximum term of imprisonment is currently two years in EU
regimes (seven years under the Terrorist Asset-Freezing etc. Act 2010).
Where any corporate body is guilty of an offence under the relevant UK Regulations, and that
offence is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to be attributable
to any neglect on the part of, any director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body
corporate, or any person who was purporting to act in any such capacity, that person as well as the
body corporate is guilty of that offence and is liable to be proceeded against and punished
accordingly.
7.12 I have carried out a transaction that is subject to financial sanctions; what
should I do?
If you find that you have carried out an economic transaction that was prohibited by sanctions (for
example by dealing with a designated person’s funds without a licence), you should contact Financial
Sanctions at HM Treasury.
You might also need to contact your regulator, such as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), if you
are separately regulated by them.
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8 Sanctions targets – designated persons
Designated persons are persons whose assets are frozen and to whom it is prohibited to provide
funds or economic resources, or, in certain circumstances, insurance or other financial services.
8.2 Should the assets of other persons who are owned or controlled by a
designated person be frozen?
Generally financial sanctions apply to specifically designated persons.
However, there may be cases where the assets of persons who are not expressly listed as a designated
person may nevertheless have to be treated as frozen. This is because a sanctions regime may target
a list of named persons and other, unnamed, persons that are, for example, owned or controlled
by the named persons. This will be a matter of case-by-case analysis and if in doubt, HM Treasury
should be consulted.
Anyone expressly listed as subject to UK financial sanctions will be listed in our Consolidated List.
When considering whether a company is owned or controlled, it may helpful to bear in mind section
1162 of the Companies Act 2006, under which a company is a “parent undertaking” in relation to a
“subsidiary undertaking” if:
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• It is a member of it and controls alone, under an agreement with other shareholders
or members, a majority of its voting rights; or
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/financial-sanctions-consolidated-list-of-targets
It is a list of persons (individuals and entities) that have been designated as being subject to financial
sanctions by the United Nations and/or the European Union and/or domestically by the UK under
specific legislation.
Other countries may publish their own lists of financial sanctions targets, but only the Consolidated
Llist published by HM Treasury contains the designated persons that are the subject of financial
sanctions in force in the UK.
The Treasury publishes the list as part of its efforts to facilitate compliance with financial sanctions
measures in the UK. Where there is a legal basis for an asset freeze in the UK, the name of the
target will be included on the Treasury’s Consolidated List. Collectively, the individuals and entities
are called financial sanctions targets and other persons are generally prohibited from engaging in
financial dealings with them.
In some cases HM Treasury may also publish or refer to other nicknames or noms de guerre. These
are intended to assist firms seeking to decide if, for example, a customer is a designated person but
they are not AKA’s in the sense that is explained above.
While there is typically some commonality amongst the lists they are not necessarily the same; nor
should one expect them to be the same as they serve different purposes.
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HM Treasury’s Consolidated List consists of the names of targets that have been listed under United
Nations, European Union and the UK measures which have legal effect in the UK.
Lists provided by non-EU administrations should include names listed under United Nations
sanctions regimes but may not include names listed under European Union imposed sanction regimes
(unless they have been additionally listed in those jurisdictions).
In addition, other lists may include names where domestic sanctions or other measures are in place
in that jurisdiction.
The European Union consolidated list only includes names of individuals and entities that are listed
in annexes to various EU Regulations. This excludes any targets listed independently by the UK under
the TAFA 2010.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/financial-sanctions-consolidated-list-of-targets
• XLS - A file type for documents created using Microsoft EXCEL, a spreadsheet package;
• CSV - Comma Separated Values, the spreadsheet equivalent of .TXT for word processors; and
Please refer to the Consolidated List Format Guide for further information. The format guide (which
is being updated) is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/205843/fin_sanc_
consolidated_list_format_guide.pdf
Users should remember that these lists are updated from time to time – you should always use the
most up to date version of the list.
8.9 How do I know what has changed when the Consolidated List is updated?
HM Treasury publishes notices on the gov.uk website whenever there are new listings of designated
persons, when designated persons are de-listed, when listings are changed, or when there are other
significant changes to financial sanctions. The Treasury’s usual practice is to publish the details of
persons added or delisted and also to make the changes to individual entries clear.
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8.10 How often is the Consolidated List updated?
There is no predetermined timetable for updating the Consolidated List. Updates are dependent on
when there are changes (i.e. additions, deletions or amendments) to the list of individuals and
entities targeted by the UN, EU and UK.
The Treasury issues an email notification at the same time as the publication of financial sanctions
notices and as the Consolidated List is updated. Details of how to subscribe to the Treasury’s free
subscription service which allows subscribers to receive updates whenever there are changes to
financial sanctions effective in the UK can be found at paragraph 3.7.
8.11 How soon should a business implement changes to the Consolidated List?
Changes to the individuals and entities subject to financial sanctions are usually announced in
notices issued by HM Treasury. The notice will usually explain when the changes are legally effective.
Businesses need to implement such changes (or put new versions of the Consolidated List into
effect) as soon as practical.
8.13 Does the European Union maintain its own consolidated list of targets?
Yes. The European Union has a list of EU sanctions regimes available from its website at:
http://eeas.europa.eu/cfsp/sanctions/docs/measures_en.pdf
The European Union also makes available a list of EU sanctions targets, which is available at:
http://eeas.europa.eu/cfsp/sanctions/consol-list_en.htm
This includes names of persons (individuals and entities) that are listed in annexes to various EU
Regulations. The EU list is not necessarily as up to date, in terms of amendments, as the Treasury’s
Consolidated List.
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9 Challenging a designation decision
Under section 27 of the Act a designated person or anyone else affected by a decision of the
Treasury other than decisions to which section 26 applies may apply to the High Court or, in Scotland,
the Court of Session, for the decision to be set aside.
The address for service of legal correspondence for the Treasury is:
9.2 How do I apply to be removed or delisted from the United Nations Al-Qaida
and Taliban list or other UN sanctions listing?
Requests for delisting (where a person is listed by the United Nations) should be sent to the United
Nations focal point for delisting. There is more about the focal point at this address:
http://www.un.org/sc/committees/dfp.shtml
Alternatively a person may petition their state of residence or citizenship. If you wish to petition the
UK, send the petition with the details specified by the UN to
Sanctions Team
International Organisations Department
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Room E.302
King Charles Street
London, SW1A 2AH
relex-sanctions@ec.europa.eu
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10 Licences and exemptions
1. General licences. These are available to every potential beneficiary subject to whatever
terms or conditions apply under the sanctions regime concerned; so a general licence allows
every transaction, or category of transaction, that is described in the licence to be lawful,
whoever the persons who are engaging in them. General licences are publicly identified and
are available on the gov.uk web pages.
2. Individual or specific licences. These are granted to specific parties, and may permit specific
transactions or types of spending for example. They are not usually published.
Licences can also allow other arrangements to permit transactions and protect third parties who are
not sanctions targets – for example to allow staff salaries to be paid, to allow humanitarian
transactions, and to allow the assets of designated persons to be safeguarded and managed.
The terms of the relevant EU Regulation typically prescribe the circumstances in which licences can
be issued and the conditions that need to be satisfied in order for HM Treasury to issue a licence.
Treasury will only issue a licence for a transaction which is capable of being authorised under the
prescribed licensing grounds in the relevant legislation. When considering whether to issue a licence,
Treasury will have regard to the policy objectives of the relevant regime.
Treasury licences include the Treasury logo, are numbered, dated and signed ‘Financial Sanctions’.
They are issued electronically in PDF format.
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Treasury licences do not cover activities in other jurisdictions. If you or the activity you are seeking
to have licensed, are subject to more than one sanctions regimes (because of overseas ownership
for example) you may need to apply to the overseas authorities for a separate licence from them.
Treasury licences do not cover trade imports or exports subject to trade sanctions.
“payments for foodstuffs, rent or mortgage, medicines and medical treatment, taxes,
insurance premiums, and public utility charges, or exclusively for payment of reasonable
professional fees and reimbursement of incurred expenses associated with the provision of
legal services, or fees or service charges for routine holding or maintenance of frozen funds
or other financial assets or economic resources” 1
Basic expenses are therefore considered to cover expenditure which is necessary to maintain basic
everyday needs only. In licensing basic expenses the Treasury will consider what is reasonable to
meet the everyday needs of a person in the position of the designated person, taking account of any
specific needs of the individual and their family. However, HM Treasury will not necessarily licence
the full amount requested to allow the designated person to continue to lead a lavish lifestyle,
particularly where this would defeat the purpose of the designation.
All applications should ensure that the licence application sets out clearly the grounds on which a
licence is being sought and provide all relevant information, full details of the transaction and
supporting documentation. Please also explain any genuinely urgent circumstances.
1
UNSCR 1452, paragraph 1(a)
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A generic licence application form is available via the following link. This application form should be
used when applying for non-terrorism related licences.
https://www.gov.uk/sanctions-embargoes-and-restrictions
If you seek a licence about a contract between yourself and another party it would be good practice
to liaise with the second party, to ensure that all of the licensing needs of all the parties can be
addressed through one application.
The generic licence application form suggests licence applications should be submitted at least four
weeks before the licence is needed. HM Treasury cannot guarantee that licences will be issued
within four weeks of an application being received.
In all cases, the Treasury will aim to keep applicants informed of progress.
Note that the licence will only allow the transaction to take place where it would be otherwise
prohibited by the sanctions and does not mandate it, so the consent of the owner of the relevant
assets will still be required for the transaction to take place.
10.10 Where can I find out more about the general licences in force?
There is more about general licences, including details of the current general licences, here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/counter-financing-of-terrorism-general-licenses
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10.13 When can a licence be changed?
Licences are issued in the light of the known facts of a particular case. HM Treasury may amend a
licence where the circumstances change or new types of transaction are contemplated. Where a
licence amendment is sought the applicant should make an application setting out the need and the
basis for the change.
Where a licence is not granted, the transaction concerned cannot legally proceed.
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-treasury/series/financial-sanctions-regime-
specific-consolidated-lists-and-releases
11.2 Where do I find details of the financial sanctions regimes in force in the UK?
The gov.uk website lists all the current financial sanctions regimes – see paragraph 11.1.
Each entry on the list of current regimes gives access to full details of that regime, including the
relevant UN and EU decisions, UK legislation, and Treasury information.
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12 Sanctions – business policies and procedures
NOTE; The Financial Services Act 2012 received royal assent at the end of 2012, and came into force
on 1 April 2013. The Act created a new regulatory framework for financial services. It abolished the
Financial Services Authority (FSA). The Act gives the Bank of England responsibility for financial
stability, bringing together macro and micro prudential regulation, creates a new regulatory
structure consisting of the Bank of England's Financial Policy Committee, the Prudential Regulation
Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
The FCA now regulates firms and financial advisers, but a number of publications by the FSA remain
relevant and are referred to below.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as part of its objective of enhancing the integrity of the UK
financial system includes a requirement on firms to protect themselves from being misused from
Financial Crime which includes compliance with the UK financial sanctions regime. Other regulators
may also have similar requirements on firms they supervise.
All businesses (including non-financial businesses) may find it helpful to look at “Financial Crime: A
Guide for Firms” produced by the FCA. Section 7 of Part I 2 of this guide gives an overview of the
FCA’s expectations of Financial Services firms along with examples of good and bad practice and
some self-assessment questions. Part 2 of the Guide includes a summary of the 2009 thematic
review into financial services firms’ approach to UK financial sanctions 3.
They have also published a very short guide to financial sanctions for small firms. See:
http://www.fca.org.uk/static/fca/documents/fsa-sanctions2.pdf
There is more about financial sanctions guidance in paragraph 14.1, including links to material
published by the FCA.
Businesses may find it cost-effective to buy in specialised software or other services from third
parties where, for example, it considers a significant amount of checking against HM Treasury’s
Consolidated List is called for.
2
http://fshandbook.info/FS/html/handbook/FC/link/PDF
3
http://www.fca.org.uk/your-fca/documents/fsa-sanctions-final-report
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It is always for individual businesses whether to buy specialised software or services, or who to buy
them from.
Businesses may buy information or software from separate sanctions data providers and screening
software providers. Overall, firms should ensure that their combined systems are effective.
If you decide that individual checks using an e-verification provider or purchasing screening software
is appropriate for your business, you should understand its capabilities and limits and make sure that
it is tailored to your business needs and risk profile. Some issues to consider would include:
• Does the search facility you have signed up for include the UK consolidated sanctions list?
Most e-verifiers will have the option to include searches against the UK Consolidated List in
the packages they provide, but some simpler anti-money laundering checks may not
automatically include this option. A check against a list of politically exposed persons (PEPs) is
not the same as a sanctions search.
• How often does the search facility or screening software update the list?
• Does the search facility or screening software provide for fuzzy matching?
Fuzzy matching helps to identify any situations where the designated person’s identifiers are
misspelled, incomplete, or missing. They are often tolerant of multinational and linguistic
differences in spelling, formats for dates of birth, and similar data. Other screening protocols
which may be of use include name reversal and number removal screening. Both the FSA
and the JMLSG 4 have recommended the benefits of using fuzzy matching.
It will generally be good practice to tell the customers involved that they are subject to financial
sanctions such as an asset freeze, and to explain the effect of any restrictions to them, and how to
contact the Financial Sanctions Team at HM Treasury.
When discussing matters with your customer you should still be aware that it is a criminal offence to
circumvent, or enable or facilitate circumvention of sanctions.
Certain businesses are subject to statutory reporting requirements – see paragraph 13.2.
4
See 14.1.2
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If you are not subject to statutory reporting requirements HM Treasury nevertheless welcomes a
report if you become aware that you or your customer is dealing with the funds or assets of a
designated person.
You should provide details of such frozen assets when you make a report.
12.5 I have policies and procedures in place for anti-money laundering (AML)
reasons – are they relevant or sufficient?
While there are some apparent similarities, it is important to remember there are also significant
differences between money laundering and sanctions policy and practice.
Anti-money laundering systems are focused on knowing who your customer is and not receiving or
dealing with funds that are the proceeds of crime. Only certain businesses under the Money
Laundering Regulations 2007 are required by law to have such systems in place.
Compliance with sanctions means that you also need to consider to whom payments are being made
and funds may be from an entirely legitimate source. All UK individuals and businesses must comply
with financial sanctions requirements.
Your anti-money laundering client due diligence systems may help to provide you with full
identification details to assist you with checking your clients against the Consolidated List and
ascertaining whether you have an actual target match or simply a name match – see paragraphs
12.2 and 13.1. Your ongoing monitoring systems for anti-money laundering compliance may assist
you in ascertaining whether your clients become a designated person during the course of your
business relationship.
However, compliance with your anti-money laundering obligations will not of themselves ensure
that you are compliant with your financial sanctions obligations.
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13 Target matches and name matches
13.1 What is the difference between a name match and a target match?
A target match is where you are satisfied that the transaction or account held is that of a specific
person who is a target of financial sanctions.
A name match is where you have matched the name of an account holder with the name of a target
included on HM Treasury's Consolidated List. This does not necessarily mean that the account holder
is one and the same as the target.
If you have a name match you need to decide, using the information you have about the account
holder, whether they are a sanctions target or not. There is more about this below.
Under existing financial sanctions legislation applicable in the UK, a relevant institution is guilty of an
offence if it knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a person is a listed person or has
committed an offence under the legislation, and the institution does not disclose the information to
HM Treasury as soon as is reasonably practicable after that information comes to its attention.
13.3 How often do I need to scan my customer database for possible target
matches?
Your internal policy and procedures should determine the frequency of scanning. It is each
individuals' or institutions' responsibility to comply with the relevant legislation. However, if you fail
to identify and block a target account, this may lead to a breach of the legislation.
It should be noted that a critical aspect of the listing of a target is that the target’s assets must be
frozen immediately, before they can be removed from UK jurisdiction.
Positive target matches should always be reported to HM Treasury. In the event that you identify an
account as that of a target of financial sanctions then the account must be frozen and details
reported to Financial Sanctions.
The more likely scenario is that you may identify a name match with one of the persons included on
the Consolidated List. In such cases, you should conduct your own enquiries assessing your Know
Your Customer or Customer Due Diligence information, customer profile and undertaking appropriate
due diligence to assess against the details available on the listed person.
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You may also find it helpful to access the publicly available information about designated persons on
the United Nations sanctions website at http://www.un.org/sc/committees/list_compend.shtml.
http://eeas.europa.eu/cfsp/sanctions/consol-list_en.htm
Both the UN and EU lists may offer helpful additional background in the form of narrative reasons
for the listing of the target concerned.
INTERPOL also publish Special Notices concerning certain designated persons which include
photographs. These are available via this link:
http://www.interpol.int/INTERPOL-expertise/Notices/Special-Notices
If, after assessing all available information, you are unable to determine whether a customer is
indeed a listed person and wish to seek guidance from HM Treasury then you should contact the
Treasury by e-mail to: financialsanctions@hmtreasury.gsi.gov.uk
All relevant information held in respect of the customer would be required i.e. full name, date and
place of birth, occupation, address, family details etc, and copies of any identifying documents
(passports etc) seen when the account was opened or later, together with details of the possible
listed target match (including Group ID number).
Therefore businesses should be alive to this possibility, and should not rely entirely on their regulated
status in deciding whether sanctions checks are appropriate.
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14 Other advice and guidance
The FCA has published in April 2013 its document ‘Financial Crime: A Guide for Firms’. This is in 2
parts;
http://media.fshandbook.info/Handbook/FC1_20130401.pdf
• Part 2 summarises the lessons identified in earlier thematic reviews, including those
conducted by the FSA. Part 2 is available here:
http://media.fshandbook.info/Handbook/FC2_20130401.pdf
In July 2013 the FCA also published a Thematic Review on ‘Bank’s control of financial crime risks in
trade finance’. Part 3.7 of the Review looks specifically at sanctions issues. The Review is available
here:
http://www.fca.org.uk/news/tr13-03-banks-control-of-financial-crime-risks-in-trade-finance
http://www.jmlsg.org.uk/industry-guidance/article/jmlsg-guidance-current
http://www.lloyds.com/the-market/operating-at-lloyds/regulation/economic-trade-and-financial-
sanctions
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14.1.4 The Law Society
The Law Society provides advice in its anti-money laundering practice note
http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/advice/practice-notes/aml/#1
and in advice articles:
http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/advice/articles/
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15 ANNEX A. Glossary of definitions.
(b) an EEA firm of the kind mentioned in paragraph 5(b) of Schedule 3 to the
2000 Act (EEA passport rights) which has permission under section 15 of that
Schedule as a result of qualifying for authorisation under section 12 of that
Schedule(f) to accept deposits; or
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means or cashes cheques which are made payable to customers.
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16 ANNEX B. Further Guidance for designated persons under Terrorism / Al
Qaida regimes.
This part includes some examples of when the prohibitions are (or are not) engaged for non-
licensed activity.
Note: These additional questions are meant to provide real-world examples of the asset freezing
prohibitions. They should be read alongside the guidance on the prohibitions set out in section 5. In
all examples below, the answer assumes that the designated person does not have a licence for the
activity in question.
A designated person is not permitted to move their account to one paying a higher rate of interest
without a licence from the Treasury.
16.1.2 Can someone pay a cheque, or transfer funds, into my frozen account?
Banks are allowed to credit funds to frozen accounts.
The person giving you the cheque/transferring the funds will, however, be breaching the
prohibitions if they do not have a licence and know or suspect that that they are making funds
available a designated person. You will also need a licence to deal with such funds in any way.
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16.1.6 Can I have a pre-paid card?
Designated persons would need a Treasury licence to pay money onto a pre-paid card and to use the
money on it. It is a criminal offence for anyone else to pay funds onto a designated person’s pre-
paid card without a licence as this is making funds available to them.
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16.1.13 Can someone pay my bill?
It is an offence to make funds available for the benefit of a designated person if they obtain a
significant financial benefit. So it would be prohibited for someone to pay a significant bill for a
designated person (e.g. their monthly energy bill if this would otherwise have to be paid by the
designated person) but not, for example, to pay, on one occasion, for the designated person’s
reasonable share of a bill for a meal.
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17 ANNEX C: trade sector advice
The following paragraphs provide more tailored advice for specific industry sectors. The first section
below deals with general commercial issues, such as making payments to a designated person or
being paid by a designated person.
Before making such payments you should take steps to establish the facts, and in particular that the
account is frozen as required by the sanctions legislation, in the first instance by seeking
confirmation from the account holding institution. All other payments to a designated person
require a licence.
17.1.2 A designated person owes my business money. Can I write off the debt?
Should you wish to cancel or ‘write off’ the debt obligations e.g. credit card balances, overdrawn
accounts, mortgage or loan accounts, of designated persons you should submit a licence request to
HM Treasury setting out full details of the loan in question, including the outstanding balance and
what action, if any, you have taken to recover monies.
This requirement arises because writing off a debt owed by a designated person may constitute
allowing them to obtain a significant financial benefit, which sanctions prohibit.
17.1.3 A designated person owes my business money. Do I need a licence to pursue the debt?
Pursuing debts owed by designated persons is not prohibited. A licence is not required to appoint a
receiver or to transfer the administration activities related to pursuing a debt for example.
However, a licence will be required for the eventual payment of the debt out of frozen funds and
possibly other related activities e.g. appointing receivers, collecting rental payments or legal costs
and other charges properly due from such funds during the course of recovery.
17.1.4 I’ve got a garnishee Order nisi/absolute against a designated person. Can the Treasury
provide me with details of frozen accounts?
No. However, HM Treasury will consider an application for a licence to release funds from an
identified frozen account.
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17.1.6 Do financial sanctions mean I cannot trade with persons or entities in countries subject to
financial sanctions?
Financial sanctions do not impose general trade bans or restrictions on exporting to, or importing
from, persons or entities in countries subject to financial sanctions. However, financial sanctions will
impact if you are seeking to trade with a designated person or if the payment relating to trade is
routed through a designated bank.
Separately, the adoption of targeted financial sanctions against specific individuals or entities in a
country may also heighten sensitivities about dealing with the country concerned and that may
make it more difficult to make payments to or receive payments from that country.
Exporters may experience other difficulties, for example in getting paid despite holding a licence.
That may be due to importers facing shortages of funds, or exchange control or other restrictions in
their jurisdiction. Those are outside the control of HM Treasury.
Financial sanctions may, in practice, also be accompanied by other restrictions, such as trade sanction.
There is more about other trade sanctions at: https://www.gov.uk/sanctions-embargoes- and-
restrictions
17.1.8 I want to sell humanitarian goods, medicines etc to a country subject to financial
sanctions. Will financial sanctions affect that?
Modern ‘smart’ or targeted financial sanctions do not usually seek to interrupt, for example, the
export of medicines, foodstuffs or other humanitarian goods to countries against which financial
sanctions may be in force.
So, even where financial sanctions and other restrictions are in place there are generally exemptions
for the export of humanitarian goods, medicines etc .
Nevertheless UK exporters may still need a licence to supply goods (ie making economic resources
available) or to be paid by or through a designated person. HM Treasury will consider licence
applications in such cases as a matter of priority.
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17.2 BANKING
• The full name of the account holder or holders, including how the name is presented on any
debit card etc;
• Details of the account holding institution – the name and address of the bank etc, and its
FSA reference number where applicable;
• The type of account (current, deposit, etc) and whether it is a primary account or sub-
account; and
17.2.2 Do I need a licence to close a frozen account and transfer any balance to the customer?
You require a licence to do this if doing so involves transferring frozen funds out of the account
and/or making funds available to the listed person. If closing an account involves no dealing with
frozen funds or making funds available, it is not illegal and no licence is required. However, it is not a
legal requirement that a listed person’s account is closed; the requirement is simply that funds in it
are not dealt with unless under the authority of a licence. The Treasury prefer that banks do not
close listed persons’ accounts as the effect can be to lead to financial exclusion, and reduces the
opportunities to monitor the finances of a designated person.
17.2.4 Are financial institutions expected to know if a credit received for a frozen account relates
to a prior contract? What obligation is there on the bank to investigate the source of
credits to frozen accounts?
Financial sanctions regimes include a provision that allows financial institutions that receive funds
from third parties to credit frozen accounts. Where crediting of funds is permitted, the institution is
required to report details of the credit as soon as possible to the competent authority i.e. HM
Treasury (unless the funds credited are in respect of interest or earnings on the account, in which
case no reporting is required). Full information should be provided when reporting details of credits.
If as part of your normal course of business you are aware of the background to the credit then this
information should be provided also.
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Financial institutions are not however required to undertake separate investigations beyond what
they could be expected to know as the receiving bank.
17.2.7 I am a bank. Can I credit funds transferred to the account of a designated person?
The prohibition against making funds or economic resources available does not prevent financial or
credit institutions that receive funds transferred by third parties to the frozen account of the listed
person from crediting frozen accounts provided that any additions to such accounts are also frozen.
Financial institutions are required to inform the Treasury of any such transactions without delay.
17.2.8 Can I credit funds received from a designated person to their frozen account?
Financial or credit institutions that receive funds transferred by the designated person to their
frozen account must hold those funds in suspense and apply for a licence to credit the funds to the
frozen account. Where HM Treasury receive applications from restricted persons to allow them to
pay funds their frozen account and license such activity, the licence will also be issued to the
relevant financial or credit institution.
Banks and other institutions must report credits to frozen accounts to HM Treasury.
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17.3 INSURANCE
There are special provisions for the insurance supplied to designated persons- see below.
There is more about the financial restrictions in force in respect of Syria at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/financial-sanctions-syria and
https://www.gov.uk/sanctions-on-syria
Additionally, sanctions prohibit the payment of funds to or for the benefit of designated persons,
which would impact on the payment by the designated person and others of insurance premiums
and the payment of claims to a designated person, which could not take place unless licensed.
17.3.2 What should an insurer do if an existing customer becomes a designated person after the
inception of cover?
If the designated person is listed under the domestic terrorism regime (the only regime under which
it is prohibited to provide insurance to listed persons), two general licences are currently in place
which cover insurance.
• the immediate and temporary provision of goods and services in respect of an insurance
claim like courtesy cars or emergency hotel accommodation to designated persons.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/counter-financing-of-terrorism-general-licenses
If someone is listed by the UN or EU under a country sanctions regime, the fact of their designation
does not make any insurance cover that they enjoy at the time of their designation, or any cover
that might be taken out after that date, illegal. However, if they are listed under the Syrian regime,
it may be illegal to provide them with cover regardless of their designation, because of the broad
insurance bans referred to above.
There is no legal requirement to discontinue cover to listed persons. Insurers making an assessment
of whether they wish to discontinue cover to a designated person will wish to take into account the
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potential social harm that might be caused if they terminate a contract that is either not subject to
any restriction or is permitted under a general licence.
17.3.3 What is the position if a policy holder names a designated person as a beneficiary?
Sanctions prohibit the payment of funds to or for the benefit of designated persons. This would,
without a licence, prevent the payment of benefits due under a policy to a beneficiary who is a
designated person.
17.3.4 As an insurer I may not know the identity of every beneficiary of the cover I provide,
because the business is managed under a delegated authority or bordereau arrangement.
What should I do?
The underwriting insurer should take reasonable measures to establish that any third party with
whom it enters into a delegated authority or bordereau arrangement, understands their obligations
to meet the UK financial sanctions obligations, including notification to the underwriting insurer of
any target matches or frozen accounts.
Whilst Insurers may not have knowledge of the identities of the underlying clients /customers and so
be unable, themselves, to identify any potential sanctioned party exposure, the underwriting insurer
should satisfy itself that the third party’s systems and controls are commensurate with the UK
financial sanctions obligation as they apply to the delegated activity.
Insurers should consider measures such as making specific reference to sanctions compliance within
their Terms of Business and/or from time to time requiring positive affirmation from their third
parties of their financial sanctions systems and controls.
17.3.5 As an insurer, I may only receive partial information from third parties. What should I do?
Insurers should undertake reasonable enquiries to identify whether the underlying clients or
claimants may be sanctioned parties.
Insurers should consider their arrangements with introducers and other parties to maximise the
detail of information provided. Should this information then be sufficient to undertake adequate
investigation, then the insurer should investigate the sanctioned party potential as it would in any
other situation where such information is available.
Where, for valid business reasons, this level of detailed information cannot be obtained, insurers
may consider the following approaches:
• For UK focused business, it may be appropriate to compare the partial details received
against those details, on the HM Treasury Consolidated List, relating to UK resident
sanctioned parties (which would be a far lower number of cases than on the full list);
• Similarly, for non–UK business, insurers may focus their investigations in respect of those
entries on the HM Treasury Consolidated List that correspond to the jurisdiction where
underlying client or claimant is suspected to reside.
Where it is impossible to draw a conclusion due to non-availability of additional data the insurer may
lack the requisite knowledge or suspicion to fall foul of any of the sanctions prohibitions.
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17.3.6 I provide pensions or other products to an employer, and may not know who the relevant
employees are. What should I do?
Subject to the precise arrangements it is likely that the contract will be with the employer. The
employer then provides the benefits to the employees further to their contracts of employment.
Insurers should initially focus on the employer when conducting their sanctions checks. Where
specific employees are drawn to the insurers attention (either for special underwriting or for the
direct payment of benefits) sanctions checks should be conducted.
Separately, agents and brokers may find that the underwriters for whom they act makes it a
contractual requirement that the agent etc complies with UK sanctions or carries out certain sanctions
checks. Generally these contractual arrangements will be an issue for the parties to the contract.
Insurers themselves may want to undertake enquiries so as to be sure that agents or other
intermediaries (to whom they pay commissions etc) are not themselves sanctioned entities.
It is the responsibility of the insurer to seek sufficient evidence that the cover sought by a designated
entity contributes to satisfying a legal or regulatory requirement, both in terms of the nature of
cover and extent of cover sought.
17.4.1 Does a firm providing a complimentary vehicle or temporary hire car in relation to a motor
vehicle insurance policy to a designated person require a licence?
No. Whilst there is a prohibition on making economic resources available to a designated person, if
the person providing the economic resource neither knows nor has reasonable cause to suspect that
the designated person would be likely to exchange the economic resource, or use it in exchange, for
funds, goods or services, the resource can be provided without breaching the prohibition (and
therefore without a licence).
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HM Treasury consider that, in the normal course of this type of business, this test would be met and
therefore the economic resource (e.g. the car) could be provided without a licence. This view also
applies to all other financial sanctions regimes.
However, firms should bear in mind that if there is knowledge or reasonable cause to suspect that
the designated person would be likely to exchange the economic resource, or use it in exchange, for
funds, goods or services then the economic resource should not be provided. In such circumstances
firms should consider their reporting obligations under the financial sanctions legislation. The firm
may also need to consider whether there is an obligation also to report under Proceeds of Crime Act
2002 or the Terrorism Act 2006.
HM Treasury similarly considers that the payment for temporary complimentary/hire vehicles
provided by insurance firms to designated persons in the normal course of this type of business
would not amount to making funds available for the benefit of the designated person and therefore
a licence is not required. This view applies to all financial sanctions regimes.
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17.5 LEGAL SERVICES
17.5.1 We are a firm of solicitors acting for a designated person. Do we need a licence?
The provision of legal services does not require a licence.
However, the payment of legal fees using frozen funds held on behalf of a designated person does
require a licence because this involves dealing with funds that are required to be treated as frozen.
17.5.2 Do solicitors acting for a designated person who is funded by legal aid or by other third
parties require a licence to deal with those funds?
A licence is required both by the Legal Aid Agency and any other third party that pays the listed
person’s legal expenses on their behalf. This is because this breaches the prohibition on making
funds available to an unlisted person (i.e. the solicitor) in circumstances in which the listed person
obtains a significant financial benefit (the discharge of the financial obligation to his or her solicitor).
A general licence permits the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) to make payments to solicitors representing a
designated person where the LAA has assessed that the individual is eligible for legal aid, and for
those funds to be applied by the solicitors to meet the legal costs incurred in the course of advising
and representing the designated person listed under the Terrorist Asset Freezing or Al Qaida regimes.
The general licences for legal aid and to allow third parties to meet legal expenses for certain persons
are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/counter-financing-of-terrorism-
general-licenses
Under the country sanctions regimes, the Treasury will consider applications for individual licences
to be issued for third parties to pay listed persons’ legal bills and for solicitors to deal with frozen
funds they hold in client accounts on behalf of listed persons in order to meet their fees.
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