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AGENCY:
Office of Foreign Assets Control, Treasury.
ACTION:
Publication of web general licenses.
SUMMARY:
The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is publishing four general licenses (GLs) issued pursuant to the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations: GLs 25E, 25F, 108, and 109, each of which was previously made available on OFAC's website.
DATES:
GL 25E was issued on September 4, 2024. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for additional relevant dates.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
OFAC: Assistant Director for Licensing, 202-622-2480; Assistant Director for Regulatory Affairs, 202-622-4855; or Assistant Director for Compliance, 202-622-2490.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Electronic Availability
This document and additional information concerning OFAC are available on OFAC's website: https://ofac.treasury.gov.
Background
On September 4, 2024, OFAC issued GL 25E to authorize certain transactions otherwise prohibited by the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 587 (RuHSR). GL 25E superseded GL 25D. On September 5, 2024, OFAC issued GL 108, also authorizing transactions otherwise prohibited by the RuHSR and expiring November 6, 2024. On September 13, 2024, OFAC issued GLs 25F and 109, both authorizing transactions otherwise prohibited by the RuHSR. GL 25F superseded GL 25E. GL 109 expires November 13, 2024. Each GL was made available on OFAC's website ( https://ofac.treasury.gov ) when it was issued. The text of these GLs is provided below.
OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL
Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations
31 CFR Part 587GENERAL LICENSE NO. 25E
Authorizing Transactions Related to Telecommunications and Certain Internet-Based Communications
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this general license, all transactions ordinarily incident and necessary to the receipt or transmission of telecommunications involving the Russian Federation that are prohibited by the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 587 (RuHSR), are authorized.
(b) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this general license, the exportation or reexportation, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States or by U.S. persons, wherever located, to the Russian Federation of services incident to the exchange of communications over the internet, such as instant messaging, chat and email, social networking, sharing of photos and movies, web browsing, blogging, social media platforms, collaboration platforms, video conferencing, e-gaming, e-learning platforms, automated translation, web maps, user authentication services, web hosting, and domain name registration services, that is prohibited by the RuHSR, is authorized.
(c) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this general license, the exportation or reexportation, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States or by U.S. persons, to the Russian Federation of software, hardware, or technology incident to the exchange of communications over the internet is authorized, provided that:
(i) If the software, hardware, or technology is subject to the Export Administration Regulations, 15 CFR parts 730 through 774 (EAR), the exportation, reexportation, sale, or supply to the Russian Federation of such software, hardware, or technology is licensed or otherwise authorized by the Department of Commerce pursuant to the EAR; and
(ii) If the software, hardware, or technology is not subject to the EAR, the exportation, reexportation, sale, or supply to the Russian Federation of such software, hardware, or technology would be eligible for a license exception or otherwise authorized by the Department of Commerce if it were subject to the EAR.
(d) This general license does not authorize:
(1) The opening or maintaining of a correspondent account or payable-through account for or on behalf of any entity subject to Directive 2 under Executive Order (E.O.) 14024, Prohibitions Related to Correspondent or Payable-Through Accounts and Processing of Transactions Involving Certain Foreign Financial Institutions;
(2) Any debit to an account on the books of a U.S. financial institution of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, the National Wealth Fund of the Russian Federation, or the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation;
(3) Any transactions prohibited by E.O. 14066 or E.O. 14068; or
(4) Any transactions involving Joint Stock Company Channel One Russia, Joint Stock Company NTV Broadcasting Company, Television Station Russia-1, Limited Liability Company Algoritm, New Eastern Outlook, Oriental Review, Garantex Europe OU, Autonomous Non-Profit Organization Dialog, or Autonomous Non-Profit Organization Dialog Regions, unless separately authorized.
(e) Effective September 4, 2024, General License No. 25D, dated June 12, 2024, is replaced and superseded in its entirety by this General License No. 25E.
Note to General License No. 25E. Nothing in this general license relieves any person from compliance with any other Federal laws or requirements of other Federal agencies, including export, reexport, and transfer (in-country) licensing requirements maintained by the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security under the EAR.
Lisa M. Palluconi,
Acting Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Dated: September 4, 2024.
OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL
Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations
31 CFR Part 587GENERAL LICENSE NO. 25F
Authorizing Transactions Related to Telecommunications and Certain Internet-Based Communications
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this general license, all transactions ordinarily incident and necessary to the receipt or transmission of telecommunications involving the Russian Federation that are prohibited by the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 587 (RuHSR), are authorized.
(b) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this general license, the exportation or reexportation, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States or by U.S. persons, wherever located, to the Russian Federation of services incident to the exchange of communications over the internet, such as instant messaging, chat and email, social networking, sharing of photos and movies, web browsing, blogging, social media platforms, collaboration platforms, video conferencing, e-gaming, e-learning platforms, automated translation, web maps, user authentication services, web hosting, and domain name registration services, that is prohibited by the RuHSR, is authorized.
(c) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this general license, the exportation or reexportation, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States or by U.S. persons, to the Russian Federation of software, hardware, or technology incident to the exchange of communications over the internet is authorized, provided that:
(i) If the software, hardware, or technology is subject to the Export Administration Regulations, 15 CFR parts 730 through 774 (EAR), the exportation, reexportation, sale, or supply to the Russian Federation of such software, hardware, or technology is licensed or otherwise authorized by the Department of Commerce pursuant to the EAR; and
(ii) If the software, hardware, or technology is not subject to the EAR, the exportation, reexportation, sale, or supply to the Russian Federation of such software, hardware, or technology would be eligible for a license exception or otherwise authorized by the Department of Commerce if it were subject to the EAR.
(d) This general license does not authorize:
(1) The opening or maintaining of a correspondent account or payable-through account for or on behalf of any entity subject to Directive 2 under Executive Order (E.O.) 14024, Prohibitions Related to Correspondent or Payable-Through Accounts and Processing of Transactions Involving Certain Foreign Financial Institutions;
(2) Any debit to an account on the books of a U.S. financial institution of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, the National Wealth Fund of the Russian Federation, or the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation;
(3) Any transactions prohibited by E.O. 14066 or E.O. 14068; or
(4) Any transactions prohibited by the RuHSR involving one or more of the following entities, unless separately authorized:
(i) Joint Stock Company Channel One Russia;
(ii) Joint Stock Company NTV Broadcasting Company;
(iii) Television Station Russia-1;
(iv) Limited Liability Company Algoritm;
(v) New Eastern Outlook;
(vi) Oriental Review;
(vii) Garantex Europe OU;
(viii) Autonomous Non-Profit Organization Dialog;
(ix) Autonomous Non-Profit Organization Dialog Regions;
(x) Federal State Unitary Enterprise International Information Agency Rossiya Segodnya; or
(xi) Autonomous Non Profit Organization TV Novosti.
(e) Effective September 13, 2024, General License No. 25E, dated September 4, 2024, is replaced and superseded in its entirety by this General License No. 25F.
Note to General License No. 25F. Nothing in this general license relieves any person from compliance with any other Federal laws or requirements of other Federal agencies, including export, reexport, and transfer (in-country) licensing requirements maintained by the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security under the EAR.
Lisa M. Palluconi,
Acting Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Dated: September 13, 2024.
OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL
Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations
31 CFR Part 587GENERAL LICENSE NO. 108
Authorizing Limited Safety and Environmental Transactions Involving Certain Blocked Persons or Vessels
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this general license, all transactions prohibited by Executive Order (E.O.) 14024 that are ordinarily incident and necessary to one of the following activities involving the blocked persons described in paragraph (b) are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time, November 6, 2024, provided that any payment to a blocked person must be made into a blocked account in accordance with the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 587 (RuHSR):
(1) The safe docking and anchoring in port of any vessels in which any person listed in paragraph (b) of this general license has a property interest (the “blocked vessels”);
(2) The preservation of the health or safety of the crew of any of the blocked vessels; or
(3) Emergency repairs of any of the blocked vessels or environmental mitigation or protection activities relating to any of the blocked vessels.
(b) The authorization in paragraph (a) of this general license applies to the following blocked persons listed on the Office of Foreign Assets Control's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List and any entity in which any of the following persons own, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, a 50 percent or greater interest:
(1) Gotik Shipping Co; or
(2) Plio Energy Cargo Shipping OPC Private Limited.
(c) This general license does not authorize:
(1) The entry into any new commercial contracts involving the property or interests in property of any blocked persons, including the blocked entities described in paragraph (b) of this general license, except as authorized by paragraph (a);
(2) The offloading of any cargo onboard any of the blocked vessels, including the offloading of liquefied natural gas of Russian Federation origin, except for the offloading of cargo that is ordinarily incident and necessary to address vessel emergencies authorized pursuant to paragraph (a) of this general license;
(3) Any transactions related to the sale of liquefied natural gas of Russian Federation origin;
(4) Any transactions prohibited by Directive 2 under E.O. 14024, Prohibitions Related to Correspondent or Payable-Through Accounts and Processing of Transactions Involving Certain Foreign Financial Institutions;
(5) Any transactions prohibited by Directive 4 under E.O. 14024, Prohibitions Related to Transactions Involving the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, the National Wealth Fund of the Russian Federation, and the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation; or
(6) Any transactions otherwise prohibited by the RuHSR, including transactions involving the property or interests in property of any person blocked pursuant to the RuHSR, other than transactions involving the blocked persons described in paragraph (b) of this general license, unless separately authorized.
Lisa M. Palluconi,
Acting Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Dated: September 5, 2024.
OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL
Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations
31 CFR Part 587GENERAL LICENSE NO. 109
Authorizing the Wind Down of Transactions Involving Certain Entities Blocked on September 13, 2024
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this general license, all transactions prohibited by Executive Order (E.O.) 14024 that are ordinarily incident and necessary to the wind down of any transaction involving one or more of the following blocked entities are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time, November 13, 2024, provided that any payment to a blocked person must be made into a blocked account in accordance with the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 587 (RuHSR):
(1) Federal State Unitary Enterprise International Information Agency Rossiya Segodnya;
(2) Autonomous Non Profit Organization TV Novosti; or
(3) Any entity in which one or more of the above persons own, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, a 50 percent or greater interest.
(b) This general license does not authorize:
(1) Any transactions prohibited by Directive 2 under E.O. 14024, Prohibitions Related to Correspondent or Payable-Through Accounts and Processing of Transactions Involving Certain Foreign Financial Institutions;
(2) Any transactions prohibited by Directive 4 under E.O. 14024, Prohibitions Related to Transactions Involving the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, the National Wealth Fund of the Russian Federation, and the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation; or
(3) Any transactions otherwise prohibited by the RuHSR, including transactions involving any person blocked pursuant to the RuHSR other than the blocked persons described in paragraph (a) of this general license, unless separately authorized.
Lisa M. Palluconi,
Acting Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Dated: September 13, 2024.
Lisa M. Palluconi,
Acting Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
[FR Doc. 2024-21796 Filed 9-24-24; 8:45 am]
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