On June 5, 2024, OFAC, in consultation with the Department of State, amended the SySR to, among other things, incorporate certain sanctions statutes, including the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, which are designed to deny the Assad Regime the resources it needs to support its longstanding campaign of repression against the Syrian people. The amendments also incorporate a web General License (GL) and modify certain existing GLs to facilitate the continued provision of legitimate humanitarian assistance and internet-based communications services to civilians in Syria and clarify the applicability of the SySR to persons sanctioned under certain sanctions authorities. These changes include:
- Incorporation of Executive order and sanctions statutes
OFAC incorporated into the SySR the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, the Syria Human Rights Accountability Act of 2012, and the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012, as well as relevant provisions of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act and Executive Order (E.O.) 13608.
- Incorporation of web GL 22 related to economic sectors in certain areas of Syria
OFAC incorporated into the SySR, at new § 542.533, web GL 22, which authorizes activities in certain economic sectors in non-regime held areas of Northeast and Northwest Syria.
- Additional non-governmental organization (NGO) activities
OFAC amended the GL related to the activities of nongovernmental organizations (NGO) at § 542.516. These changes clarify which types of persons are covered by the NGO GL; add new authorized activities; and clarify that U.S. financial institutions may rely on statements of the originator of a funds, provided that the financial institution does not know or have reason to know that the funds transfer is not in compliance with the NGO GL.
- Additional international organizations (IO)
OFAC amended the GL related to the activities of international organizations (IO) at § 542.513. These changes add new IOs whose official business is authorized by the GL to include the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
- Expansion of authorization for internet-based communications
OFAC amended the GL related to internet-based communications at § 542.511. These changes update the list of examples of communications technologies that are incident to, or enable services incident to, communications over the internet; authorize the provision of services incident to the export or reexport of certain communications software or hardware not subject to the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”), 15 C.F.R. parts 730-774, that is incident to, or enables services incident to, communications over the internet, subject to certain conditions; and authorize the exportation and re-exportation to Syria of non-commercial-grade internet connectivity services
For more information, see FAQs 205, 206, 231, 232, 934, and 938.