The Russia, Crimea and Sevastopol (Sanctions) (Overseas Territories) (Amendment) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/2919)

Summary

This UK Order in Council extends and amends the Russia, Crimea and Sevastopol (Sanctions) (Overseas Territories) Order 2014, which applies sanctions law to Overseas Territories including the British Virgin Islands. It creates a new criminal offence covering assistance related to the transfer of oil exploration technologies to Russia.

• New offence (Article 8A): It is an offence to knowingly provide, directly or indirectly, assistance relating to the sale, supply, transfer or export of technologies listed in Annex II to the Russia Sanctions Regulation to any person in Russia or for use in Russia.
• Maintenance/manufacture offence: It is also an offence to knowingly provide assistance relating to the maintenance or manufacture of those listed technologies by any person in Russia or for use in Russia.
• Licensing exemption: The new offence is subject to existing articles 13 and 14 of the principal Order, which allow the Governor to license these activities in line with exemptions under the sanctions regime.
• Consequential amendments: References to article 8 throughout the principal Order (articles 13(1), 13(2), 13(3)(a), 14, 20(1) and Schedule 2 paragraph 1(2)) are amended to also reference the new article 8A.

The Order implements EU Council Decisions 2014/512/CFSP and 2014/659/CFSP restricting dealings with Russia. It has direct legal effect in the British Virgin Islands as an Overseas Territory sanctions measure, and compliance officers should treat the new offence as part of the existing Russia sanctions prohibitions administered locally.

Key obligations

• Persons must not knowingly provide, directly or indirectly, assistance relating to the sale, supply, transfer or export of Annex II oil exploration technologies to any person in Russia or for use in Russia, unless licensed by the Governor.
• Persons must not knowingly provide, directly or indirectly, assistance relating to the maintenance or manufacture of Annex II oil exploration technologies by any person in Russia or for use in Russia, unless licensed by the Governor.

Applies to

any person subject to the Overseas Territories sanctions regime, including financial services providers and other regulated persons in the British Virgin Islands

Deadlines

• 13th November 2014: Date the Order comes into force, amending the principal Russia, Crimea and Sevastopol (Sanctions) (Overseas Territories) Order 2014.

Related documents

• The Sanctions (Overseas Territories) (Revocations) Order 2020 repeals this document