The Importance of HMT Sanctions List in Your Compliance System

What are the UK sanctions all about

The United Kingdom is one of the central financial and economical hubs in the world. That is why all businesses have to be aware of what it’s ministry – Her Majesty Treasury is up to. So, have you checked the HMT sanctions list?

What is HMT treasury and it’s sanctions?
HM Treasury is the UK government’s economic and financial ministerial department that has control over its budget while directing the policy to achieve stability and economic growth.

A part of Her Majesty Treasury is OFSI as in The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation that enforces sanctions and ensures that they are carried out correctly.

HMT sanctions list is a list of individuals and entities subjected to certain financial restrictions as part of the UK government domestic counter-terrorism regime policy. It also includes those individuals prohibited by the United Nations and/or European Union.

According to the legislation, it is a criminal offence to:

  • have any monetary transactions or have any connections with funds belonging to designated persons;
  • directly or indirectly supply designated persons with economic resources.

Those who are involved in activities that somehow violate financial restrictions carrie the risk of Government seeking criminal penalties against the individual, company or it’s management along with reputational damage.

Who should comply with HMT sanctions
The regulations apply to:

  • any individual in the UK or under the UK law;
  • British citizens, British Overseas territories citizen;
  • a person protected by Britain;
  • entities and firms such as banks, charities, FI, non-governmental organisations, etc. established under UK law or located in the UK.

Sanctions do not concern subsidiaries who operate outside the UK entirely and have no legal representation under the law of the United Kingdom.

Designated people and entities of HMT sanctions list
There is a total of 26 HMT financial sanctions regimes, some of them are Al Qaida and ISIL (with the largest number of individuals targeted – 330+ listings), Taliban, Burma/Myamar, Belarus, Iran, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, North Korea, etc.

Sanctions are forcing targets into changing their dangerous behaviour and denying them access to the resources they need to continue their offence.They may be restricted to travel, trade, business transactions and other regulatory measures. Over 2,000 individuals and organisations mentioned in the list are of a wide range of nationalities and reside in the UK, elsewhere in the EU or the rest of the world.

It is important to thoroughly consider your firm’s risks, adopt a secure customer demographic and understand your obligations to law. Due to the wide range of persons and entities listed, it is more efficient to use anti-fraud software. Our KYC/AML solution screens individuals across various sanctions lists and gives companies the protection they need.

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