What are sanctions?
Page last updated 12/07/24
Sanctions are restrictive measures that can be put in place to fulfil a range of purposes. In the UK, these purposes include complying with UN and other international obligations, supporting foreign policy and national security objectives, as well as maintaining international peace and security.
Sanctions can include trade restrictions, asset freezes and travel bans. Sanctions lists are regularly updated and cover individuals and entities from around the world, across a variety of sectors with different rules for different regimes.
Countries subject to sanctions
Countries currently subject to UK sanctions are listed in the table below - please click on the county's link for more details of the specific restrictions in place.
Additionally, the University must comply with US sanctions as many of the areas of University activity are covered by US sanctions, and as we also work with funders or partners who themselves must comply with US Sanctions. All of the countries sanctioned by the UK are also sanctioned by the US but the US sanction regime can include additional countries as indicated in the list below.
| Region | Countries subject to UK and US sanctions |
|---|---|
| Africa |
|
| Asia |
|
| Central America | |
| Europe |
|
| Middle East |
|
| South America |
|
Non- country specific financial sanctions on those connected to terrorist groups and specified activities
- Chemical weapons - sanctions in place for those involved with the proliferation and use of chemical weapons.
- Counter-terrorism - financial sanctions applied to those with assessed involvement in terrorist activity.
- Cyber - sanctions in place for those involved in certain cyber activity
- Global anti-corruption - sanctions for those involved in serious corruption or linked to those involved with serious corruption
- Global human rights
- International counter-terrorism
- ISIL (Da'esh) and Al- Qaida organisations
- Unauthorised drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean sanctions
For more information and help on sanctions
| UK Sanctions | US Sanctions | |
|---|---|---|
| General | UK Sanctions general guidance | US Sanctions general guidance |
| Financial sanctions |
University Triage Group for sanctions re Russia, Belarus and non-government Ukraine territory including Crimea (see above) Check the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) list See the Government’s lists of Financial sanctions targets by regime. |
Check the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) list for individuals and organisations list
Counties subject to the US Economic Sanctions programs |
| Trade sanctions |
For any exports or sales of services contact the Export Controls Team, in the Research Operations Office and refer to ROO sanctions guidance |
|
| For imports please contact the University’s Import Export Hub at importexporthub@admin.cam.ac.uk | ||
Triage group: support for departments and institutions
A triage group has been created to support departments and institutions if they have any concerns regarding activities that may be subject to sanctions. The triage group includes members of the Finance Division and Legal Services Division and has links with Research Operations Office (ROO), the University’s Import and Export Hub and Cambridge University Press and Assessment (CUP&A).
Email the Triage Group at fin_sanctions@admin.cam.ac.uk and provide the following information:
- full names (and any known aliases) of all parties or entities
- the nature and details of the transaction/connection e.g.
- details of any goods or services, reason for reimbursement
- has this already occurred or is it planned for the future
- dates of delivery and how shipped/provided
- where they have been performed or shipped to/from
- any existing contracts
- estimate of values involved
- proposed methods of funds transfers including bank and account names
- any other information that may be of use.