Frequently Asked Questions

900. Executive Order (E.O.) 13959, as amended, authorizes the imposition of certain sanctions on persons who operate or have operated in the surveillance technology sector of the economy of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). For the purposes of E.O. 13959, as amended, how will OFAC target those who operate or have operated in this sector?

900 … Pursuant to E.O. 13959, as amended, OFAC expects to use its discretion to target, in particular, persons whose operations include or support, or have included or supported, (1) surveillance of persons by Chinese technology companies that occurs outside of the PRC; or (2) the development,… Read more

901. Under Executive Order (E.O.) 13959, as amended, what level of due diligence must U.S. persons, including market intermediaries and other participants, undertake to assess whether an underlying purchase or sale is prohibited under E.O. 13959, as amended?

901 … For purposes of assessing whether certain purchases or sales are permissible under E.O. 13959, as amended, U.S. persons — including financial institutions, registered broker-dealers in securities, securities exchanges, and other market intermediaries and participants — may rely upon the… Read more

902. Under Executive Order (E.O.) 13959, as amended, are U.S. persons prohibited from providing investment advisory, investment management, or similar services to a non-U.S. person, including a foreign entity or foreign fund, in connection with the non-U.S. person’s purchase or sale of covered securities of Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies (CMICs)?

902 … U.S. persons are not prohibited from providing investment advisory, investment management, or similar services to a non-U.S. person, including a foreign entity or foreign fund, in connection with the non-U.S. person’s purchase or sale of a covered security, provided that the underlying… Read more

903. Do the prohibitions of Executive Order (E.O.) 13959, as amended, apply to U.S. persons who are employed by non-U.S. entities and who, in the ordinary course of their employment, are involved in purchases or sales of Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies’ (CMICs) securities on behalf of their non-U.S. employer?

903 … For purposes of E.O. 13959, as amended, U.S. persons employed by non-U.S. entities are not prohibited from being involved in, or otherwise facilitating, purchases or sales related to a covered security on behalf of their non-U.S. employer, provided that such activity is in the ordinary course… Read more

904. Under Executive Order (E.O.) 13959, as amended, are U.S. market makers permitted to facilitate divestment from publicly traded securities of Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies (CMICs)?

904 … Yes. U.S. market makers, and non-U.S. market makers who employ U.S. persons, are permitted to engage in activities that are necessary to effect divestiture during the during the 365-day periods in which divestment transactions are permitted or that are not otherwise prohibited under E.O.… Read more

905. Does Executive Order (E.O.) 13959, as amended, prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in all activities with companies listed on the Non-SDN Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies List (the "NS-CMIC List")?

905 … No. The prohibitions of E.O. 13959, as amended, apply only with respect to certain purchases or sales of publicly traded securities of entities listed on the NS-CMIC List. E.O. 13959, as amended, does not prohibit activity with entities listed on the NS-CMIC List that is unrelated to such… Read more

883. What does Burma General License 4 authorize?

883 … Burma General License (GL) 4 authorizes, subject to certain conditions, all transactions and activities prohibited by Executive Order (E.O.) 14014 , that are ordinarily incident and necessary to the wind down of transactions involving, directly or indirectly, Myanmar Economic Corporation… Read more

888. What does Directive 1A under Executive Order (E.O.) 14024, “Prohibitions Related to Certain Sovereign Debt of the Russian Federation” (Russia-related Sovereign Debt Directive) do?

888 … Pursuant to the Russia-related Sovereign Debt Directive , the following activities by a U.S. financial institution are prohibited: As of June 14, 2021, participation in the primary market for ruble or non-ruble denominated bonds issued after June 14, 2021 by the Central Bank of the Russian… Read more

886. What does Executive Order (E.O.) 14024, “Blocking Property with Respect to Specified Harmful Foreign Activities of the Government of the Russian Federation” do?

886 … E.O. 14024 establishes a new national emergency under which sanctions may be imposed against individuals and entities furthering specified harmful foreign activities of the Russian Federation. This national emergency is separate from the national emergency relating to the crisis in Ukraine,… Read more

887. Are persons identified pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13662 as subject to Directive 3 for operating in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy blocked pursuant to E.O. 14024?

887 … Persons identified pursuant to E.O. 13662 as subject to Directive 3 for operating in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy are not subject to prohibitions under E.O. 14024 unless those persons are also sanctioned pursuant to E.O. 14024. For more… Read more

Frequently Asked Questions

Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence