The Liberia (Sanctions) (Overseas Territories) Order 2015 - Advisory Warning No. 11 of 2015 (16 December 2015)

Summary

This is a public advisory notice from the BVI Financial Services Commission informing the public and industry that the Liberia (Sanctions) (Overseas Territories) Order 2015 (UK S.I. 2015 No. 1899) was ratified on 10 December 2015 and extended to the British Virgin Islands. The Order gives effect in the Territory to United Nations Security Council sanctions on Liberia, as most recently renewed by UNSC Resolution 2237 (2015), and reflects the EU's implementation of those sanctions.

• Effect: Extends and renews the arms embargo against non-governmental persons in Liberia for a further nine months from 2 September 2015.
• Terminated measures: Ends the earlier travel and financial (asset-freezing) measures previously imposed under UNSC resolutions 1532 (2004) and 1521 (2003).
• Revocations: Revokes and replaces five earlier Liberia sanctions/restrictive measures orders dating from 2004, 2007 and 2012.
• Licensing exemptions: Allows the Governor to license certain otherwise-prohibited activities under exemptions built into the sanctions regime.

The notice is informational, directing readers to the underlying UK, UN and EU instruments for full detail rather than imposing new procedural requirements of its own.

Key obligations

• Persons and businesses must comply with the arms embargo against non-governmental persons in Liberia as extended to the BVI by the Order.
• Any person wishing to undertake an activity otherwise prohibited under the sanctions regime must obtain a licence from the Governor for the relevant exemption.

Deadlines

• 9 months from 2nd September 2015: Renewed duration of the UN arms embargo against non-governmental persons in Liberia under Resolution 2237 (2015).