Cyprus: Government, Public Sector

The European Union has adopted its 21st package of restrictive measures against Russia, representing the most comprehensive expansion of sanctions in four years with 218 new designations spanning banks, crypto platforms, military suppliers, and shadow fleet operators.

The Cyprus Bar Association has issued its first Guidelines on Business-Wide Risk Assessment (BWRA), establishing a comprehensive framework for supervised entities to identify and mitigate money laundering, terrorist financing and sanctions risks. These guidelines provide practical direction for compliance with the new EU Anti-Money Laundering Regulation ahead of its July 2027 implementation deadline, outlining methodologies for risk assessment, control evaluation and ongoing monitoring requirements.

The European Union has significantly expanded its Russia sanctions regime by designating 34 individuals and 47 entities across multiple sectors, including military-industrial operations, shadow fleet energy transport, disinformation campaigns, and human rights violations connected to Alexei Navalny's death. These measures extend beyond Russian borders to target third-country facilitators in China, UAE, Turkey, and other jurisdictions, demonstrating the EU's evolving approach to disrupting international sanc