Extended UK human rights and international humanitarian law sanctions to specific British overseas territories and established local enforcement frameworks.

This Order extends the Global Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Sanctions Regulations 2026 to twelve British overseas territories, including the Cayman Islands, Virgin Islands, and Falkland Islands.

It authorizes the freezing of funds and economic resources belonging to persons designated by the UK Secretary of State for involvement in serious human rights violations or breaches of international humanitarian law.

The Order directs Governors of these territories to publish lists of designated persons, establishes licensing procedures for permitted financial activities, and defines criminal penalties for circumventing these sanctions.

Established a consolidated UK sanctions regime for human rights and international humanitarian law violations, replacing the 2020 regulations.

These Regulations establish a legal framework to impose financial, immigration, and director disqualification sanctions on persons involved in serious human rights violations, breaches of international humanitarian law, or the obstruction of humanitarian aid.

The Secretary of State is authorized to designate individuals or entities by name or description, triggering an immediate freeze on their funds and economic resources and prohibiting others from making resources available to them.

The measures apply to all persons within the United Kingdom and to United Kingdom persons operating anywhere in the world, with enforcement overseen by the Treasury and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

The Treasury amended the MLRs 2017 to introduce enhanced due diligence for cryptoasset correspondent relationships, update trust registration rules, create provisions for insolvent bank customers, substitute monetary thresholds from Euros to Sterling, and modify change of control rules for cryptoasset businesses.

These Regulations, enacted by HM Treasury, substantially amend the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (MLRs) to strengthen anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regimes, notably by implementing enhanced due diligence requirements for cryptoasset correspondent relationships and addressing specific areas like insolvent bank customers and trust registration.

Key changes include the introduction of new duties for cryptoasset businesses dealing with overseas providers, clarification of Customer Due Diligence (CDD) for pooled accounts, substitution of 'high-risk third country' with 'FATF call for action country,' conversion of various monetary thresholds from Euros to Sterling, and amendments to trust registration rules concerning pre-2020 UK land acquisitions and the exclusion criteria for certain trusts.

Furthermore, the rules governing changes in control over registered cryptoasset businesses are modified to align with the evolving future regulatory framework under FSMA, with some provisions taking effect later in 2027.

Amended the Syria (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 by revoking specific trade prohibitions, correcting definitions, and updating references to the Government of Syria.

The Syria (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 primarily amend the 2019 Syria sanctions framework, which was established following the UK's exit from the EU, based on subsequent amendments made in light of the collapse of the former Bashar Al-Assad regime in December 2024.

These regulations revoke prohibitions on trade related to gold, precious metals, diamonds, and luxury goods, while making necessary technical corrections, such as re-inserting the definition of 'petroleum products' in Regulation 57 and updating terminology referring to the Syrian government.

The regulations updated the Central African Republic (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 to incorporate definitions and restrictions related to UN Security Council Resolutions 2745 and 2789, specifically targeting armed groups and associated individuals.

The Central African Republic (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 update the existing 2020 sanctions framework concerning the Central African Republic to incorporate amendments mandated by United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2745 (2024) and 2789 (2025).

These amendments primarily introduce new definitions for "armed group operating in the Central African Republic" and "associated individual" and subsequently amend provisions concerning the arms embargo, export of military goods, provision of technical assistance, financial services, and brokering activities to target these non-state actors directly, ensuring the UK's sanctions regime reflects its international obligations.

The Order amended thirty-four existing UK Sanctions Orders in Council concerning Overseas Territories to implement changes from the Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 2024, including updating finance-related reporting obligations and expanding definitions of regulated firms.

The Sanctions (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Overseas Territories) Order 2025, enacted under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, makes widespread technical amendments across numerous extant sanctions Orders applicable to listed British overseas territories (OTs).

The primary purpose is to align OT sanctions legislation with recent UK amendments (specifically the Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 2024), particularly by clarifying financial regulatory authority roles (transferring responsibilities from the Treasury to the Governor) and expanding the scope of 'relevant firms' subject to reporting obligations to include entities dealing with cryptoassets, high-value goods transactions, and insolvency proceedings.

The Order extended the Global Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Persons Sanctions Regulations 2025, with modifications, to specified British overseas territories, making the Governor the responsible authority for sanctions administration there.

This Order in Council extends the Global Irregular Migration and Trafficking in Persons Sanctions Regulations 2025, along with relevant provisions of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, to eleven specified British overseas territories starting on October 16, 2025.

The extension applies with specific modifications detailed in Schedule 2, which primarily substitute references from UK bodies like the Treasury or Secretary of State with the respective Territory's Governor for the administration of sanctions, including designating persons, issuing licences, and enforcing immigration and financial restrictions related to combating people smuggling and trafficking.

The Secretary of State amended the Iran (Sanctions) (Nuclear) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 to reflect updated UN obligations under Resolution 2231, revised resolution references, updated trade definitions, and introduced exceptions for Treasury debt payments.

These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, amend the existing Iran (Sanctions) (Nuclear) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 to align UK law with updated United Nations Security Council obligations, particularly those derived from Resolution 2231 (2015).

The amendments update interpretations of relevant UN resolutions, modify the scope of prohibited trade in nuclear and missile-related items, and introduce specific exceptions to asset freeze and financial prohibitions to facilitate the satisfaction of obligations owed by the Treasury concerning Treasury debt, ensuring these actions remain compliant with the new sanctions framework.