Regulations last checked for updates: Apr 28, 2024

Title 15 - Commerce and Foreign Trade last revised: Apr 22, 2024
§ 744.8 - Restrictions on exports, reexports, and transfers (in-country) when certain persons designated on the list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN List) are a party to the transaction.

(a) Scope. (1) In addition to any other EAR license requirements that may be applicable, this section imposes EAR license requirements, license review policies, and restrictions on the use of license exceptions for exports, reexports, and transfers (in-country) when a person who is designated on the Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control's (OFAC) List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN List) with any of the following identifiers is a party to the transaction, as described in § 748.5(c) through (f):

(i) Related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

(A) [BELARUS-EO14038];

(B) [BELARUS];

(C) [RUSSIA-EO14024];

(D) [UKRAINE-EO13660];

(E) [UKRAINE-EO13661];

(F) [UKRAINE-EO13662]; or

(G) [UKRAINE-EO13685].

(ii) Terrorism-related.

(A) [FTO]; or

(B) [SDGT].

(iii) WMD-related.

(A) [NPWMD].

(B) [Reserved]

(iv) Related to narcotics trafficking or other criminal networks.

(A) [ILLICIT DRUGS-EO14059];

(B) [SDNT];

(C) [SDNTK]; or

(D) [TCO].

Note 1 to paragraph (a)(1):

The names of such designations are published in the Federal Register and incorporated into the SDN List, as set forth in appendix A to 31 CFR chapter V and on OFAC's website at https://www.treas.gov/sdn. See Program Tag Definitions for OFAC Sanctions Lists for additional information: https://ofac.treasury.gov/specially-designated-nationals-list-sdn-list/program-tag-definitions-for-ofac-sanctions-lists.

(2) These EAR controls supplement and strengthen the sanctions that are imposed by OFAC on these SDNs to better ensure that U.S. national security and foreign policy interests are protected. Specifically, this section imposes controls on exports, reexports, or transfers (in-country) of items subject to the EAR where the OFAC regulations are not applicable, such as in certain situations involving deemed exports and deemed reexports, and reexports and transfers (in-country) not involving the U.S. financial system or otherwise involving U.S. persons. To avoid imposing a duplicative license requirement, the transactions specified in this section do not require separate EAR authorization if the transactions are authorized under an OFAC specific or general license or are exempted under OFAC's regulations.

Note 2 to paragraph (a):

The Entity List in supplement no. 4 to part 744 includes certain persons that have also been designated with certain identifiers on the SDN List. See § 744.11 and supplement no. 4 to part 744 for requirements, including license review policies, for these entities, which take precedence over the requirements in this § 744.8. BIS requires an EAR authorization as specified in the license requirement column on the Entity List for export, reexport, and transfer (in-country) transactions involving items subject to the EAR in which these persons are parties to the transaction regardless of whether such transaction is authorized under an OFAC specific or general license or exempted under OFAC's regulations.

(b) License requirements. Unless the export, reexport, or transfer (in-country) is authorized under an OFAC specific or general license or exempted under OFAC's regulations, a license is required under the EAR for the export, reexport, or transfer (in-country) of any item “subject to the EAR” when a person who is designated on OFAC's SDN List with any of the identifiers set forth in paragraph (a)(1) is a party to the transaction as described in § 748.5(c) through (f). A Department of Commerce license is not required for transactions described in this paragraph (b) that would have otherwise met all of the terms and conditions of an OFAC general license if the transactions had been subject to OFAC jurisdiction.

(c) License exceptions. No license exceptions may overcome the license requirements in this section, except for entities that are also listed on the Entity List in supplement no. 4 to part 744 that have certain license exception eligibility, which is available to overcome the license requirements of this section and supplement no. 4 to part 744 for that specific entity.

(d) License review policy. Applications for licenses required by this section will be subject to a presumption of denial license review policy, except when note 1 to paragraph (a)(1) of this section is applicable and the license review policy specified on the Entity List in supplement no. 4 to part 744 is different, in which case the license review policy under the applicable Entity List entry for that person would govern. You should consult OFAC regarding transactions subject to licensing requirements under regulations maintained by OFAC.

(e) Violations. (1) Any export, reexport, or transfer (in-country) by a U.S. person of any item subject to both the EAR and regulations maintained by OFAC in situations in which a person identified in paragraph (a)(1) is a party to the transaction as described in § 748.5(c) through (f) that is not authorized by OFAC constitutes a violation of the EAR. This paragraph does not apply to entities identified under both this section and the Entity List in supplement no. 4 to part 744. EAR violations involving entities identified under both this section and the Entity List will be addressed pursuant to §§ 744.11 and 744.16.

(2) Any export, reexport, or transfer (in-country) of any item subject to the EAR in which a person identified in paragraph (a)(1) is a party to the transaction as described in § 748.5(c) through (f) and such transaction is not subject to regulations maintained by OFAC and not authorized by BIS constitutes a violation of the EAR.

Note 3 to § 744.8:

This section does not implement, construe, or limit the scope of any criminal statute, including but not limited to 18 U.S.C. 2339B(a)(1) and 2339A, and does not excuse any person from complying with any criminal statute, including but not limited to 18 U.S.C. 2339B(a)(1) and 18 U.S.C. 2339A.

[89 FR 20115, Mar. 21, 2024]
source: 61 FR 12802, Mar. 25, 1996, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 15 CFR 744.8