Introduction
1. On 11 March 2026 the Sanctions and Asset-Freezing Law (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 2026 (the 'Amendment Regulations'), were adopted. The Amendment Regulations amend the Sanctions and Asset-Freezing (Jersey) Law 2019 ('SAFL') and will come into force on 18 March 2026.
2. The Amendment Regulations:
Clarify that prohibitions on making economic resources, funds, or financial resources available, directly or indirectly to, or for the benefit of, a designated person also include making these available to any persons owned or controlled by a designated person (within the meaning of Article 2A) of SAFL
Provide for broader disclosure of information in connection with international sanctions compliance, provided the Minister for External Relations (the 'Minister') is satisfied that such disclosure is appropriate in the circumstances
Amend the reporting obligations of Relevant Financial Institutions ('RFI'), bringing these more closely in line with those under UK sanctions legislation
Impact of amendment to reporting obligations in Jersey
3. Article 32(1) of SAFL requires an RFI to provide the Minister with information about a person where it knows or has reasonable cause to suspect, as a result of information obtained in the course of its business, that the person is a designated person or has committed, is committing or intends to commit an offence under SAFL.
4. Currently, this requirement only applies in circumstances where the RFI has a connection to the person (i.e., that it holds an account of the person, has entered into dealings or an agreement with the person, or has been approached by or on behalf of the person).
5. Following the coming into force of the Amendment Regulations, the criteria referred to in paragraph 4 will be removed. As such, a report will be required whether or not an account is held, dealings have been entered into, or an approach has been made.
What you should do
6. If you know or have reasonable cause to suspect that a person is a designated person or has committed, is committing or intends to commit an offence under SAFL, and this information came to you in the course of carrying on your business, you must submit a report to the Minister as soon as practicable.
7. Your report should include any information that would facilitate compliance with SAFL. Where the information relates to funds or economic resources, the nature and amount or quantity should also be reported.
8. Completed sanctions compliance reports should be sent to the Minister at sanctions@gov.je.
9.
Sanctions compliance reporting form.
Further information
10. Sanctions and Asset-Freezing Law (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 2026
11. Find more information on sanctions on Gov.je
12. Find additional information published by the Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC).
13. A copy of UK sanctions instruments can be obtained from legislation.gov.uk.
14. The UK Sanctions List on GOV.UK.
Enquiries
15. Non-media enquiries, sanctions compliance reporting, and licence applications should be emailed to the Jersey Sanctions Implementation Unit at sanctions@gov.je.
gov.je