Regulatory Blog

On 19 June 2025, the UK published the Sanctions (EU Exit) (Treasury Debt) Regulations 2025, which take effect on 10 July 2025. These regulations, made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, introduce targeted exemptions to UN-imposed asset freezes, allowing payments related to Treasury borrowing, including government gilts. This ensures key Treasury transactions can proceed despite existing sanctions.

Following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the UK Government, alongside the member states of the European Union, the United States of America and other global stakeholders issued significant new sanctions. View a table of all the sanctions here

The European Commission recently announced the launch of the EU Sanctions Helpdesk, a dedicated initiative to support small and medium-sized enterprises in navigating the complexities of sanctions compliance. With over 40 global sanctions regimes in place, the EU Sanctions Helpdesk aims to alleviate the challenges SMEs face by offering free, comprehensive assistance.

On 17 June 2025, the UK announced a new package of sanctions to weaken Russia’s economy and military. Unveiled during the G7 Summit in Canada, these measures aim to counter Vladimir Putin's continued aggression in Ukraine. They target key sectors like finance, military, and energy, underlining the UK’s commitment to defending Ukraine and upholding international security.

The United Kingdom introduced significant amendments to the Syria sanctions framework. Below, is a summary of the main changes and their broader implications.

On 28 May 2025, the Council of the European Union adopted legal acts to lift all economic sanctions imposed on Syria, except those grounded in security concerns. The adoption aims to support the Syrian people in their efforts to rebuild a unified, peaceful nation and formalises the political agreement announced on 20 May 2025.

On 2 June 2025, Cyprus' Ministry of Finance announced the introduction of revised notification templates for outgoing transfers of funds under Article 5r of EU Regulation 833/2014. This measure aims to eliminate inconsistencies in submitted data, streamline validation procedures, and expedite the overall evaluation process to ensure compliance with restrictive measures.

On 6 May 2025, the European Union published its plan to fully eliminate its reliance on Russian energy by the end of this year. This plan can be found in the REPowerEU Roadmap and outlines a phased approach to ending imports of Russian oil, gas, and nuclear energy. This move has the purpose of protecting the European Union's energy security, stabilising prices, and supporting a more independent energy system.

On 20 May 2025, the CSSF updated its AIFMD FAQs to clarify the subject of marketing AIFs to retail investors. In principle, non-regulated Luxembourg AIFs not subject to a product law can only be marketed in Luxembourg to professional investors.

On 20 May 2025, the UK introduced a sweeping sanctions package aimed at weakening Russia’s military and economic capabilities amid its ongoing war in Ukraine. This move underscores the UK’s commitment to international law and peace.

European Union has issued significant and far-reaching sanctions and restrictive measures on Russia and the Russian Economy. View a table of all the sanctions here

A draft legislative package seeking to overhaul Cyprus’ sanctions framework (the Draft Package) is being debated in the Cypriot Parliament.