header-logo header-logo

13 January 2023 / Cameron Brown KC , Olivia Haggar
Issue: 8008 / Categories: Opinion , Sanctions , Fraud , Criminal , International justice
printer mail-detail

Assessing the UK sanctions regime

With coffers depleted after months of costly war in Ukraine, where are we with UK sanctions? Cameron Brown KC & Olivia Haggar assess the new regime

It was a poorly-kept secret that the UK had fast become a haven for ‘dirty money’ flowing in from overseas jurisdictions. The Russian invasion of Ukraine brought this to the forefront of politics.

In a hurried response to the conflict, the government announced the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 (EC(TE)A 2022), which was expedited through Parliament and came into force on 15 March 2022. EC(TE)A 2022 introduced new powers, which joined the roster of other powers such as unexplained wealth orders (UWOs) and civil orders, and sought to toughen up the existing legislative framework for tackling economic crime.

One of the key changes introduced by EC(TE)A 2022 is the Register of Overseas Entities. Overseas entities that own (from 1 January 1999 in England and Wales) or wish to buy, sell, let or grant security over qualifying property

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Bellevue Law—Lianne Craig

Bellevue Law—Lianne Craig

Workplace law firm expands commercial disputes team with senior consultant hire

EIP—Rob Barker

EIP—Rob Barker

IP firm promotes patent attorney to partner

Muckle LLP—Ryan Butler

Muckle LLP—Ryan Butler

Banking and restructuring team bolstered by insolvency specialist

NEWS
The Supreme Court has delivered a decisive ruling on termination under the JCT Design & Build form. Writing in NLJ this week, Andrew Singer KC and Jonathan Ward, of Kings Chambers, analyse Providence Building Services v Hexagon Housing Association [2026] UKSC 1, which restores the first-instance decision and curbs contractors’ termination rights for repeated late payment
Secondments, disciplinary procedures and appeal chaos all feature in a quartet of recent rulings. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Smith, barrister and emeritus professor of employment law at UEA, examines how established principles are being tested in modern disputes
The AI revolution is no longer a distant murmur—it’s at the client’s desk. Writing in NLJ this week, Peter Ambrose, CEO of The Partnership and Legalito, warns that the ‘AI chickens’ have ‘come home to roost’, transforming not just legal practice but the lawyer–client relationship itself
A High Court ruling involving the Longleat estate has exposed the fault line between modern family building and historic trust drafting. Writing in NLJ this week, Charlotte Coyle, director and family law expert at Freeths, examines Cator v Thynn [2026] EWHC 209 (Ch), where trustees sought approval to modernise trusts that retain pre-1970 definitions of ‘child’, ‘grandchild’ and ‘issue’
Fresh proposals to criminalise ‘nudification’ apps, prioritise cyberflashing and non-consensual intimate images, and even ban under-16s from social media have reignited debate over whether the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA 2023) is fit for purpose. Writing in NLJ this week, Alexander Brown, head of technology, media and telecommunications, and Alexandra Webster, managing associate, Simmons & Simmons, caution against reactive law-making that could undermine the Act’s ‘risk-based and outcomes-focused’ design
back-to-top-scroll