Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill: exceptions and licences policy note
This document sets out the government’s intended approach to exceptions and licences when the UK becomes responsible for implementing our own sanctions regimes.
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The Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill is passing through Parliament. When it receives Royal Assent, it will enable the UK to impose and implement sanctions to comply with our international obligations. It will also support wider foreign policy and national security goals.
Currently, both UN and EU sanctions regimes include various exceptions to the prohibitions within those regimes and enable the provision of licences so that valid actors, such as non-government organisations (NGOs), can carry out humanitarian activity in countries affected by sanctions. This enables the NGOs to continue their work without fear of breaching prohibitions. The UK government intends to continue to provide for exceptions and licences once we leave the European Union and we become responsible for implementing our own sanctions regimes.
The document sets out the government’s intended approach in this area, and indicates how this will be used in relation to the most frequent types of sanctions. It looks at our intended policy in relation to asset freezes, counter terrorism, restrictions on financial activity, the export of goods and services, transport and travel bans.