Trade Law and Sanctions

In an increasingly challenging international business world, our inter-disciplinary team helps companies to remain compliant and keep supply chains moving. With sanctions regimes often lacking clear guidance, even seemingly routine business transactions can pose substantial risks, both financial and reputational. Our team assists clients in navigating rapidly changing and complex financial and trade sanctions and embargo rules at national and EU levels, which in the UK concerns the regime enforced by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) and the Department for International Trade (DIT). As part of our trade practice we assess potential risks associated with business relationships, conduct due diligence, draft contractual protections and advise on compliance measures. As part of our White Collar practice we advise on criminal risks, provide support for applications for waivers/derogations, reporting sanctions breaches and enforcement matters. We have strong relationships with lawyers in numerous other jurisdictions, such as the US, and can provide a fully integrated multi-jurisdictional service to clients. 

The wider CMS network also advises clients in trade related disputes and trade defence matters such as anti-dumping, anti-subsidy proceedings and export controls. Our Brussels-based lawyers have supported clients in numerous EU trade defence matters, in original investigations or the various review proceedings, before the European Commission or subsequently before the Courts of the European Union. Our Brussels team also regularly advises clients on the impact of trade agreements and WTO law on the cross-border movement of goods and the provision services and leverage the expertise of our highly regarded tax and customs teams.