UK Government Business Briefing:
Sanctions Compliance and Enforcement

Birmingham: 16 July 2025

Join us for a vital half-day event designed to equip businesses with the tools and insights needed to navigate the complex landscape of sanctions compliance and enforcement in 2025.

This business briefing, delivered by a cross-government team, is designed to help you understand the latest developments in sanctions enforcement and compliance, enabling your business to adapt and succeed in the ever-evolving sanctions landscape.

The Russian state is going to extraordinary lengths to circumvent sanctions, primarily by exploiting the jurisdictions of third countries to hide the end user – often without their knowledge. For businesses who trade across huge areas of the world, including the Caucasus, Middle East, Central Asia and South East Asia, you may unwittingly become the victim of these covert tactics where the true end destination is concealed, and put yourselves at a heightened risk of breaching UK Government sanctions.

We are delighted to be offering a morning session with a focus on goods exports, hosted by Make UK, and are partnering with Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce in the afternoon to cover all you need to know from a services perspective. Please indicate when expressing interest in attending whether you wish to join the morning (goods) or afternoon (services) briefing.

Why Join Us?

By attending our event you will be able to:

• Better understand business obligations, reporting breaches and licencing
• Hear about best practice, and the importance of building robust compliance systems that can be adapted at pace to the challenges of 2025 to avoid the severe penalties of non-compliance
• Learn where to go for information to reduce the risk of breaching sanctions
• Engage directly through presentations and roundtable discussions with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Department for Business and Trade (DBT), Office for Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)

Prevention is Better than Cure

Tackling circumvention has been a top priority for the G7 who are focused on ensuring all in the supply chain are aware of the latest tactics used by Russia to circumvention G7 sanctions.

With demonstrable robust enforcement for serious breaches, from substantial fines to criminal prosecutions, it is vital for the private sector to ensure they have strong enough compliance systems in place which can counter these tactics.

Our objective is to support business to raise awareness about the OTSI’s new role and remit and ensure that compliance and reporting responsibilities are fully understood.

Outline agenda:

Welcome and introduction

Joint HMG presentations from:

• Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
• Department for Business and Trade (DBT)
• Office for Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI)
• HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)

Refreshment break

Roundtable discussion, covering the following key topics:

• Sanctions policy and effectiveness
• Sanctions architecture, roles and responsibilities
• What sanctions are in place and to whom they apply

Refreshment break

Roundtable discussion continued, exploring

• Business obligations/reporting breaches and licencing
• Best practice, building robust compliance systems, and ensuring businesses are able to adapt at pace to the challenges of 2025 and beyond

Closing remarks

Close and networking

Register your interest:

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage directly with the UK Government by expressing your interest in joining us today.

Register

Anything missing? If there is a particular challenge or issue you would like us to address, please let us know when you register.

For any other export related enquiries contact the Department for Business and Trade in the Midlands at dbtmidlands@businessandtrade.gov.uk or call our export support service on 0300 303 8955.

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