International financial sanctions. Exceptions, authorisations

Decisions of international organisations that have imposed international sanctions and/or European Union legislation provide for exceptions to their implementation for humanitarian purposes, for the provision of supplies to peacekeeping missions or in other special cases.

Where the legislation imposing international sanctions provides for exemptions from its implementation and/or provides that exemptions from the restrictions and obligations imposed by international sanctions may be granted, the competent authorities shall decide on the application of the exemptions or the granting of exemptions from restrictions and obligations.

The competent authorities shall decide on and carry out all necessary procedures for exemptions from, or authorisations to waive, the restrictions and obligations referred to in the legislation imposing international sanctions, within the framework of their competence to enforce international sanctions.

Requests are made to the competent authorities according to their assigned areas of activity in enforcing international sanctions. List of competent authorities https://www.urm.lt/sankcijos

Requests for exemptions from, or authorisations to waive, the restrictions and obligations imposed by international sanctions may be submitted by entities subject to international sanctions and other interested persons. The request shall be reasoned (the precise Council Regulation and the Article on the basis of which the exemption is requested must be indicated) and shall be accompanied by documents supporting the factual and legal elements set out in the request, which shall form an integral part of the request. The request itself must state the reasons for the request and specify what it seeks to achieve (the subject-matter must not be alternative, but must be clearly formulated and reasoned), i.e. it must not only be a general request, but must also contain a detailed description, indicating the details of the request.

The Financial Crimes Investigation Service coordinates, supervises and ensures the implementation of financial sanctions (restrictions on the disposal of funds and economic resources) in the Republic of Lithuania. In ensuring the implementation of financial sanctions, the Financial Crimes Investigation Service shall perform the functions of the competent authority referred to in Article 11 of the Law on International Sanctions, including the provision of information to the entities implementing financial sanctions, which it has ascertained within its competence through the analysis of the links of natural and/or legal persons with the entities on which international sanctions have been imposed.

Entities subject to financial sanctionsor natural or legal persons of the Republic of Lithuania (other than financial institutions) seeking to benefit from exemptions or to obtain a waiver from the restrictions and obligations imposed by international sanctions should contact the Financial Crimes Investigation Serviceat [email protected]

Requests submitted shall be dealt with in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Republic of Lithuania Law on Public Administration, i.e. within 20 working days from the date of receipt of such request. In cases where, for objective reasons, an administrative decision cannot be taken within this time limit, this time limit may be extended by up to 10 working days.

Decisions may be appealed in accordance with the procedure laid down by the Republic of Lithuania Law on Administrative Proceedings.

If a provisional administrator has been appointed for the entity in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 8 of the International Sanctions Law, the decision on the disposal of the frozen economic resources shall be taken by the provisional administrator. In such a case, no separate decision of the Financial Crimes Investigation Service on exemptions or authorisations from the restrictions and obligations laid down in the international sanctions legislation is required.