Ministry for Foreign Affairs launched a Sanctions e-Service

Ministry for Foreign Affairs launched a Sanctions e-Service

In the Foreign Ministry's Sanctions e-Service at palvelu.um.fi you can ask about sanctions, submit an application for an authorization, report on the implementation of sanctions and report on the circumvention of sanctions. The service makes it easier for companies, authorities and citizens to approach the Sanctions Unit with sanctions matters. The European Commission has also launched a Sanctions Helpdesk for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The Sanctions Unit of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has launched a Sanctions e-Service through which the Sanctions Unit is to be approached in future. The service facilitates contacts on sanctions issues and helps to monitor the progress of the processing of sanctions matters. The sanctions service is available at palvelu.um.fi.

In the service you can ask about the interpretation and implementation of sanctions and apply for authorizations related to sanctions. In the service you can also report on the implementation of sanctions (reporting obligations under the sanctions regulations) and report any circumvention or suspected circumvention of sanctions.

The use of the sanctions e-services requires strong identification. Identification takes place in the suomi.fi service.

Since March 2022, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has responded to more than 2,000 inquiries on sanctions and their implementation, and has processed nearly 300 applications for authorization related to sanctions. Almost all inquiries related to sanctions concern the sanctions imposed by the EU against Russia. In addition, inquiries are made on the sanctions imposed by the EU on Belarus, Iran and Syria.

The Foreign Ministry's online course on the Basics of Sanctions, which is addressed especially for companies and authorities, is available free of charge to all in Finnish and English on the eOppiva platform.

EU has opened a SME Sanctions Helpdesk

The European Commission's Helpdesk provides tailored assistance to companies carrying out risk and liability assessment (due diligence) due to sanctions. You can ask questions related to sanctions, for example, about the prohibitions contained in EU sanctions regulations and receive support for the planning and development of compliance programmes (compliance programmes) within companies. The Helpdesk's response time to an ordinary service request is within 5 days. The language of the HelpDesk is English.

In addition to the above, the HelpDesk internet site contains plenty of instructions and material related to sanctions. A newsletter can also be ordered from the HelpDesk.