U.S. and EU enter bilateral sanctions partnership

Financial Crimes Of Interest to Non-US Persons OFAC Department of Treasury EU OFAC Sanctions OFAC Designations

On May 16, the United States and the European Union entered into a bilateral partnership to strengthen working relationships and share sanctions expertise to address foreign policy goals. The U.S.-EU partnership’s foundation is premised on a collaborative approach for financial sanctions, in which the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the European External Action Service, and the European Commission Directorate-General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union will continue to work closely with partners around the world to ensure financial sanctions are fully contributing to member countries’ policy goals. Emphasizing that “[s]anctions are most effective when coordinated with a broad range of international partners who can magnify the economic and political impact,” Treasury stressed the importance of multilateral implementation to maximize the effectiveness of sanctions while minimizing unintended costs and compliance burdens.