Trade Sanctions Notices

Trade Sanctions

The Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (" OTSI ") of the Department for Business and Trade was launched in October 2024. OTSI is responsible for strengthening the United Kingdom’s implementation and enforcement of trade sanctions in compliance with the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2018 (“ Sanctions Act ”) and the Trade, Aircraft and Shipping Sanctions (Civil Enforcement) Regulations, 2024. The Sanctions Act permits sanctions regulations for trade, aircraft and shipping sanctions to impose prohibitions or requirements, and it further provides that provision may be made for the enforcement of those prohibitions or requirements.

Trade sanctions are controls on the:

• import, export, transfer, movement, making available and acquisition of goods and technology;
• provision and procurement of services related to goods and technology;
• provision and procurement of certain other non-financial services; and
• involvement of UK nationals in these activities.

Trade sanctions apply to: 

• all individuals, companies or businesses within the territory and territorial sea of the UK ; and
• all UK nationals, UK companies or UK businesses established under UK law wherever they are operating in the world. 

• provision or procurement of sanctioned trade services;
• movement, making available or acquisition of sanctioned goods outside the UK;
• transferring, making available or acquisition of sanctioned technology outside the UK;
• providing ancillary services to the movement, making available or acquisition of sanctioned goods outside the UK; and
• providing ancillary services to the transfer, making available or acquisition of sanctioned technology outside the UK

However, HM Revenue & Customs is responsible for enforcing trade sanctions where they relate to:

• import or export of goods to, or from, the UK;
• transfer of technology to, or from, the UK;
• provision of ancillary services relating to the import and export of goods and the transfer of technology to, or from, the UK; and
• goods and technology, such as military and dual-use goods and technology, which are subject to strategic export controls,

and they are also responsible for the criminal enforcement of all trade sanctions.

The UK Sanctions List provides a listing of all designations made under the Sanctions Act. The UK Sanctions List includes all sanctions categories including trade sanctions such as arms embargoes and other trade restrictions in the UK and it details which sanctions measures apply to such persons or entities and a statement of reasons for the designation. When the UK government makes, varies, or revokes a designation, it will update the UK sanctions list.

The Agency was delegated powers by the Governor under the SI No. 22 of 2025 Sanctions Delegation and Authorisation Notice to publish lists of designated persons and keep those lists up to date on its website and provides the consolidated UK Sanctions list updates as a courtesy to all Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions based on its supervisory remit.

For the avoidance of doubt, pursuant to section 21 of the Sanctions Act, all references to UK national means an individual who is:

1. a British citizen, a British overseas territories citizen, a British National (Overseas) or a British Overseas citizen,
2. a person who under the British Nationality Act 1981 is a British subject, or
3. a British protected person within the meaning of that Act.

Trade Sanctions Notices and Updates