MARITIME ARBITRATORS: PRACTICAL STEPS TO MANAGE YOUR SANCTIONS RISK

26 Май

В настоящей публикации содержатся 10 рекомендаций для морских арбитров по управлению рисками, связанными с международными экономическими санкциями, а именно:

  1. Понимать влияние санкций.
  2. Признавать, что существует реальный риск принуждения.
  3. Иметь в виду обширную юрисдикцию США.
  4. Соблюдать должную осмотрительность при принятии назначений.
  5. Арбитры должны точно понимать, с кем они имеют дело. Санкции запрещают не только иметь дело непосредственно с санкционированным физическим или юридическим лицом, но и косвенно иметь дело с санкционированным физическим или юридическим лицом (например, когда санкционированное физическое лицо является владельцем юридического лица).
  6. Помнить о проблемах с платежами. Банки крайне осторожны в отношении риска нарушения санкций, и это приводит к тому, что они отказываются обрабатывать платежи, если есть опасения относительно возможного нарушения санкций, что может сказаться на оплате гонорара арбитра.
  7. Признать, что санкции являются очень динамичными.
  8. Динамика некоторых санкционных программ содержит так называемые «отлагательные периоды», которые разрешают деятельность в течение ограниченных периодов времени до введения ограничений. Арбитрам может быть предложено действовать незамедлительно, чтобы обеспечить выполнение требований в течение такого периода. Это было одним из соображений, лежащих в основе проблем Mamancochet Mining Ltd -v- Aegis Managing Agency Ltd & Ors [2018] EWHC 2643 (Comm).
  9. Убедиться, что решение само по себе не способствует нарушению санкций. Международные экономические санкции запрещают производить платежи или другие предоставления прямо или косвенно для или в пользу санкционированного лица, а также иметь дело с санкционированным активом (таким как судно, например), и санкции ЕС и США имеют положения, касающиеся облегчения, либо обхода санкций.
  10. Не забывать о Brexit. Санкции ЕС продолжают оказывать прямое влияние на британские компании и другие лица в течение переходного периода (т.е. до 31 декабря 2020 года). После этой даты вступят в силу новые режимы санкций в Великобритании, и санкции ЕС больше не будут оказывать прямого действия на британские компании или других индивидов в отсутствие связи с ЕС. С этого времени возможно, что санкции Великобритании и ЕС могут дивергировать (отличаться).
    Shipping is currently in the centre of the
    sanctions spotlight – that is abundantly
    clear from recent US enforcement
    action, as well as public statements by
    US politicians.
    This means that everyone in the sector, whether owners,
    charterers, insurers or banks needs to be vigilant and alert
    to the risks. That applies equally to maritime arbitrators, so
    what are the main things that they should be doing? Here
    are our 10 recommendations:

    1. Understand the impact of
    sanctions – arbitrators should
    be aware which countries
    are sanctioned, what sorts of
    restrictions the sanctions impose,
    and also which sanctions (e.g.
    US, EU, Singapore, Switzerland)
    are applicable. HFW can deliver
    a one hour sanctions webinar on
    demand – this gives an overview
    of the main issues and points to
    consider. To register your interest
    please email events@hfw.com
    or register at: https://sites-hfw.
    vuturevx.com/58/16/landing-pages/
    subscribe.asp here to be added to
    our sanctions mailing list.
    2. Recognise that there is a real risk
    of enforcement – we have seen
    vessels and shipowners penalised
    by the US for sanctions violations,
    as well as US and EU imposing
    penalties running into millions of
    Dollars. The following statement by
    David Peyman (US Deputy Assistant
    Secretary of State for Counter
    Threat Finance and Sanctions) will
    resonate with arbitrators as much as
    shipowners:
    “… I really do think there’s much
    more space for improvement in
    the private sector. It seems like
    much of the shipping sector is
    a generational business that
    has been handed down from
    generation to generation and
    business was conducted in a
    certain way maybe 50 years ago
    or 30 yearsago or even 10 years
    ago. The world has changed quite
    dramatically in the last 10 years.
    The use of US sanctions I think has
    escalated and I think we’ve shown
    that we’re ready to undertake
    strategic targeting.”
    3. Keep in mind expansive US
    jurisdiction – the US adopts an
    aggressive approach, asserting
    primary jurisdiction over US persons
    (not only US nationals and US
    companies but also persons who
    are physically present in the US),
    US origin goods and US Dollar
    payments. The US also has some
    sanctions which are commonly
    described as extra-territorial or
    “secondary” sanctions. These restrict
    the activities of non-US persons,
    either through the threat of denial of
    access to US markets, US currency
    and US persons, and/or the threat of
    being added to US sanctions lists.
    https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Comm/2018/2643.html
    4. Carry out due diligence when
    accepting appointments (and
    on an ongoing basis) – arbitrators
    should be alert to references which
    may relate to a sanctioned individual
    or entity, a sanctioned asset (a large
    number of ships are on US sanctions
    lists) or a sanctioned activity. The
    US sanctions list is at https://www.
    treasury.gov/ofac/downloads/
    sdnlist.pdf (it runs to over 1,300
    pages) and HM Treasury publishes
    a consolidated list (covering UN,
    EU and UK) at https://ofsistorage.
    blob.core.windows.net/publishlive/
    ConList.pdf. Consider whether there
    might be alternative spellings of
    parties’ names, commonly used
    names (particularly of individuals)
    and different naming conventions
    in different countries. For those who
    prefer, HFW can run due diligence
    checks and give advice.
    5. Don’t be afraid to challenge the
    parties and their representatives –
    the sanctions prohibit not only
    dealing directly with a sanctioned
    individual or entity but also dealing
    indirectly with a sanctioned
    individual or entity (for example
    where a sanctioned individual is
    the owner of a corporate entity).
    Arbitrators therefore need to
    understand exactly who they are
    dealing with.
    6. Be mindful of payment issues –
    banks and others are extremely
    wary of the risk of violating
    sanctions, and this will cause them
    to refuse to process payments
    where there is any concern about
    a possible sanctions violation.
    That could include payment of
    arbitrators’ fees.
    7. Appreciate that sanctions are very
    dynamic (I) – because sanctions
    are imposed, varied and lifted in
    response to political developments
    they may change over the life of a
    reference and arbitrators need to be
    aware of any changes which impact
    on their continued ability to act (and
    get paid).
    8. Appreciate that sanctions are
    very dynamic (II) – some sanctions
    programs contain so-called
    “grandfathering” or wind down
    periods which authorise activity
    for limited periods of time prior
    to the imposition of restrictions.
    Arbitrators may be asked to act
    promptly to ensure necessary
    activities are completed within
    the grandfathering period. This
    was one of the considerations
    which underpinned the issues in
    Mamancochet Mining Ltd -v- Aegis
    Managing Agency Ltd & Ors [2018]
    EWHC 2643 (Comm).
    9. Ensure that the Award does
    not itself facilitate a breach of
    sanctions – sanctions prohibit
    making a payment or other benefit
    available directly or indirectly to
    or for the benefit of a sanctioned
    person, as well as dealing with
    a sanctioned asset (such as a
    vessel), and both the EU and US
    sanctions have provisions dealing
    with facilitating, enabling and/or
    circumventing sanctions.
    10. Don’t forget Brexit – EU sanctions
    continue to have direct effect on UK
    companies and individuals during
    the Transition Period (i.e. until 31
    December 2020). After this date,
    new UK sanctions regimes will
    come into force and EU sanctions
    will no longer have direct effect on
    UK companies or individuals in the
    absence of an EU nexus. From this
    time, it is possible that UK and EU
    sanctions could diverge.

Авторы: DANIEL MARTIN, ISABEL PHILLIPS

Источник: https://www.hfw.com/downloads/002079-HFW-Maritime-arbitrators-practical-steps-to-manage-your-sanctions-risk.pdf