UK Belarus sanctions: updated guidance on scope and prohibitions
The UK Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) has published statutory guidance on the Republic of Belarus sanctions regime, setting out the purposes, scope, and prohibited activities under UK law. The guidance clarifies who is subject to the sanctions, what transactions and conduct are prohibited, and how compliance obligations apply to UK persons and businesses operating in or trading with Belarus. Shippers, freight forwarders, and exporters must review the guidance to ensure their supply chains, payments, and logistics do not breach asset freezes, trade restrictions, or financing prohibitions.
Photo: Mathias Reding / Pexels# UK Belarus Sanctions: Updated OFSI Guidance
On 1 May 2026, the UK Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) published statutory guidance on the Republic of Belarus sanctions regime. The guidance formalises the purposes, scope, and prohibitions applicable to UK persons and any entity operating within UK jurisdiction when dealing with Belarus, Belarusian persons, or entities connected to the Belarusian state.
Who Is Affected
The guidance applies to:
- UK persons (individuals, businesses, charities, partnerships, and public bodies)
- Anyone in the UK or using UK financial systems
- Entities incorporated or headquartered in the UK, wherever they operate globally
Freight forwarders, importers, exporters, and shippers handling goods to, from, or transiting through Belarus must verify counterparties against OFSI's consolidated sanctions lists and comply with asset-freeze and trade-restriction rules.
Key Prohibitions
The guidance reinforces core sanctions obligations:
- Asset freezes on designated persons and entities — no funds or economic resources may be made available to them
- Trade restrictions — prohibitions on importing Belarusian goods and exporting specified goods and services to Belarus
- Financing prohibitions — no provision of funds, loans, insurance, or financial services to support transactions with Belarus or designated parties
- Brokering — UK persons must not arrange transactions that would breach sanctions, even if the transaction itself occurs outside the UK
The guidance emphasises that breach of these prohibitions is a criminal offence, with penalties including fines and imprisonment.
Practical Steps for Shippers
Shippers and logistics providers must:
- Screen all customers, suppliers, consignees, and beneficial owners against OFSI's consolidated list (available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-consolidated-list)
- Check bill-of-lading data, invoices, and customs declarations for links to Belarus or designated parties
- Refuse shipments where the ultimate consignee, payer, or beneficiary is sanctioned or under asset freeze
- Report any suspected breach to OFSI without delay
- Implement compliance procedures for cross-border payments and letters of credit
The guidance does not announce new designations but formalises enforcement expectations. Shippers already subject to Belarus sanctions should review the updated guidance to confirm procedures align with OFSI's current interpretation.
What this means for shippers
All UK-based and UK-connected shippers must immediately screen their Belarus-related customers, suppliers, and shipments against OFSI's sanctions list. Any contract with a Belarusian entity, payment to a sanctioned party, or shipment destined for a designated person or entity is a criminal breach. Do not proceed without explicit OFSI clearance or a valid licence. Report suspected violations to OFSI immediately at https://www.gov.uk/report-suspected-sanctions-breach. Use /sanctions-screen to integrate real-time screening into your compliance workflow.
