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https://otsi.blog.gov.uk/about/

About us

Responsibilities

The Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) is part of the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), which was created to strengthen the enforcement of UK trade sanctions alongside HMRC.

OTSI will be responsible for areas concerning the:

  • provision or procurement of sanctioned trade services
  • movement, making available or acquisition of sanctioned goods outside the UK
  • transferring, making available or acquisition of sanctioned technology outside the UK
  • providing ancillary services to the movement, making available or acquisition of sanctioned goods outside the UK
  • providing ancillary services to the transfer, making available or acquisition of sanctioned technology outside the UK

HMRC is responsible for enforcing trade sanctions where they relate to:

  • import or export of goods to, or from, the UK
  • transfer of technology to, or from, the UK
  • provision of ancillary services relating to the import and export of goods and the transfer of technology to, or from, the UK
  • goods and technology, such as military and dual-use goods and technology, which are subject to strategic export controls

HMRC is also responsible for the criminal enforcement of trade sanctions.

Priorities

OTSI’s priorities are:

  • raising awareness of trade sanctions
  • supporting businesses with trade sanctions compliance
  • detecting and responding to suspected breaches, including taking appropriate and proportionate enforcement action where necessary 



To achieve the first two points, OTSI will engage with, and be a key contact for, businesses where help is needed. We will also issue timely and user-friendly guidance, as needed, to help businesses understand how to comply.
We will work in partnership with HMRC to enforce trade sanctions.

Blog

OTSI’s blog has been created to share new updates and important information to help UK businesses understand trade sanctions and support with compliance.

Our blog posts should be supplemental to the guidance available on our website on gov.uk