The Treasury advises that the Afghanistan Sanctions (Application) Regulations 2022 [SD 2022/0033] came into operation on 28 February 2022, which apply the provisions of the following United Kingdom statutory instrument relating to Afghanistan financial and trade sanctions to the Island
- The Afghanistan (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2022
The Afghanistan (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (of UK Parliament) (the “Afghanistan Regulations”) were applied to the Island, and currently have effect in the Island, by the Afghanistan Sanctions (Application) Regulations 2020 [SD 2020/0493]. The Afghanistan Regulations were amended in the United Kingdom in compliance with their UN obligations. The Isle of Man has adopted these measures to ensure that sanctions against Afghanistan in the Island are aligned with the United Kingdom.
In December 2021, the United Nations Security Council issued resolution 2615, which declared that the provision of humanitarian assistance and other activities that support basic human needs in Afghanistan should be an exception to the asset freeze rules. The Security Council therefore permit the processing and payment of funds, and provision of goods and services necessary to ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
The Afghanistan Regulations allow for anyone on the Island who has previously frozen funds because they have identified those funds as belonging to a person or entity on the Afghanistan sanctions list, may be able to release those funds where they consider that it is necessary for the delivery of humanitarian assistance or the support of basic human needs in Afghanistan.
Failure to comply with financial and trade sanctions legislation or to attempting to circumvent its provisions is a criminal offence.
Further details of the sanctions regime related to Afghanistan and links to other financial sanctions regimes may be found on the Customs and Excise pages of the Isle of Man Government website.
