Technology

March 20, 2019: OFAC issues technical notice for its data files

Important technical notice for users of OFAC’s Sanctions List Data Files

3/20/2019

In early February of 2019, multiple users of OFAC’s data files contacted OFAC’s technical support hotline to report difficulty in downloading sanctions list data files hosted at this URL: https://www.treasury.gov/ofac/downloads/.  After investigating the issue, the Treasury Department discovered that changes had been made regarding HTTP request methods.  These changes generally affected users that leverage command line connections to Treasury’s website.  Users who download OFAC’s sanctions list data files manually via browser will not be impacted by this change.  

Previously users were allowed to request sanctions list data files via HTTP using both POST and GET commands.  The change made in February eliminated users’ ability to use the POST command and only GET commands are allowed henceforth.  This change was made to improve the security for public file repositories and is a permanent change.  Users who continue to have difficulty downloading OFAC’s sanctions list data files due to this change are welcome to contact OFAC at O_F_A_C@treasury.gov or contact OFAC’s technical support hotline at 1-800-540-6322 – Menu Option 8 for assistance.  

OFAC understands that this change may have unexpectedly interrupted users’ ability to download and access OFAC data and is working with Treasury’s technical team to ensure advance notification of any future changes. 

Link:

Technical notice

May 8, 2018: FinCEN reminds you it’s time to move to the 21st Century…

 

FinCEN Reminds CTR Filers of Batch Filing Deadline

 

FinCEN issued a notice today to remind financial institutions that Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs) will no longer be accepted in ACSII format effective June 1, 2018. Financial institutions that batch file must file using the new XML format.  If a financial institution is unable, then it must revert to the discrete option to file its reports until it is able to file using the new XML format. 

 

Link:

FinCEN Notice

In case you haven’t tried to go to OFAC’s website in the last week…

Important Technical Notice for Users of the OFAC Website

11/3/2017

The Treasury Department will be updating the HTTPS certificate it uses for the Treasury.gov domain on Friday, November 3, 2017, during an evening maintenance window.  Users may have to reinstall the root certificate for the site if they experience connection problems.  The full certification path for this new certificate is Symantec Class 3 Secure Server CA – G4– www.treasury.gov.
 
Users can download this certificate by visiting any secure download path on the Treasury website and using their browser’s certificate management controls to install this new certificate. For general instructions on downloading the new certificate (using a chrome browser) please view this pdf.
 
Please contact OFAC technical support at 1-800-540-6322 Option #8 or O_F_A_C@treasury.gov with any questions that you may have about this change.

Link:

OFAC Notice

Certificate Download Instructions

April 6, 2015: Consolidated Sanctions List now in advanced format.

On April 6th, OFAC released the Consolidated Sanctions List (the 5 non-SDN lists – Palestinian Leadership Council List, Part 561 List, Iran Sanctions Act List, Foreign Sanctions Evaders List, Sectoral Sanctions Identification List) in the new advanced format that it previously had released the SDN List in. The new format, which had been developed by the Wolfsberg Group and the United Nations, “incorporates a variety of features that ensure maximum flexibility for sanctions list creators, while also limiting the need for future changes to the underlying data specification due to the standard’s adaptability.”

Links:

OFAC Notice

Advanced Format FAQ

 

Notice to Exporters 2015/14: Checker Tools now on SPIRE

From the UK's Export Control Organization (ECO):

1. The Checker Tools (OGEL Checker and Goods Checker) operated by the Export Control Organisation (ECO) have been redesigned and will now operate under the SPIRE online export licensing system, as well as being available directly via the internet.

2. The Checker Tools features will remain the same but the presentation has been updated. The main differences are:

    • Users can now access the Checker Tools without needing to log on using a password. The new landing page has guidance on using the tools and examples.
    • If you are a registered SPIRE user, you can access the Checker Tools from within SPIRE, once you have logged on.

What does this mean for me as an exporter?

3. When using the Goods Checker, you no longer need to add the dots to separate sub entries in a Control Entry. (For example, you don’t need to enter ‘3A001.a.7.a’ to find this entry; on the new Goods Checker you can enter ‘3A001a7a’. ) The OGEL Checker has always used this system and so the two tools are now aligned.

4. In the OGEL Checker, you can now display possible OGELs in alphabetical order or by ‘Activity’, which groups OGELs according to the way they are used.

5. Please note: The dedicated Helpline for the Checker Tools (help@ecochecker.co.uk) is no longer available. All queries relating to the Checker Tools should be emailed to: eco.help@bis.gsi.gov.uk

Link:

Notice to Exporters 2015/14