The Myanmar (Sanctions) Regulations 2021

Designation criteria U.K.

6.—(1) The Secretary of State may not designate a person under regulation 5 (power to designate persons) unless the Secretary of State—

(a) has reasonable grounds to suspect that that person is an involved person, and

(b) considers that the designation of that person is appropriate, having regard to—

(i) the purposes stated in regulation 4 (purposes), and

(ii) the likely significant effects of the designation on that person (as they appear to the Secretary of State to be on the basis of the information that the Secretary of State has).

(2) In this regulation, an “involved person” means a person who—

(a) is or has been involved in—

(i) undermining democracy, the rule of law or good governance in Myanmar;

(ii) the repression of the civilian population in Myanmar;

(iii) the commission of, or the obstruction of an independent investigation into, a serious human rights violation or abuse in Myanmar;

(iv) the commission of a violation of international humanitarian law in Myanmar;

(v) the obstruction of a humanitarian assistance activity in Myanmar;

(vi) any other action, policy or activity which threatens the peace, stability or security of Myanmar,

(b) is owned or controlled directly or indirectly (within the meaning of regulation 7) by a person who is or has been so involved,

(c) is acting on behalf of or at the direction of a person who is or has been so involved, or

(d) is a member of, or associated with, a person who is or has been so involved.

(3) Any reference in this regulation to being involved in one or more of the activities set out in paragraph (2)(a) includes being involved in whatever way and wherever any actions constituting the involvement take place, and in particular includes—

(a) being responsible for, engaging in, providing support for, or promoting such an activity;

(b) providing financial services, or making available funds or economic resources, that could contribute to such an activity;

(c) profiting financially, or obtaining any other benefit, from such an activity;

(d) providing financial services to, or making available funds or economic resources directly or indirectly to or for the benefit of, the Myanmar security forces;

(e) carrying out activities as a member of, or working for, the State Administration Council;

(f) working for, or being affiliated to, the Myanmar security forces as—

(i) a member of the Myanmar security forces of the rank of colonel or the equivalent or higher,

(ii) a member of the Border Guard Force,

(iii) a member of a militia,

(iv) a MSF-affiliated business, or

(v) a patron, director, trustee or other manager (whether executive or non-executive) of a MSF-affiliated business;

(g) being involved in the supply to Myanmar of goods or technology which could contribute to a serious human rights violation or abuse, or in providing financial services relating to such supply;

(h) being involved in the supply to Myanmar of restricted goods or restricted technology, or of material related to such goods or technology, or in providing financial services relating to such supply;

(i) being involved in the supply to Myanmar of dual-use goods or dual-use technology for military use or the use of the Myanmar security forces, or of material related to such goods or technology, or in providing financial services relating to such supply;

(j) assisting the contravention or circumvention of any relevant Myanmar-related provision.

(4) In this regulation, “relevant Myanmar-related provision” means—

(a) any provision of Part 3 (Finance) or Part 5 (Trade);

(b) any provision of the law of a country other than the United Kingdom made for purposes corresponding to a purpose of any provision of Part 3 or Part 5.

(5) Nothing in any sub-paragraph of paragraph (3) is to be taken to limit the meaning of any of the other sub-paragraphs of that paragraph.

(6) For the purposes of paragraph (3)(f)(iv), a “MSF-affiliated business” includes—

(a) a person who is owned or controlled directly or indirectly (within the meaning of regulation 7) by, or otherwise makes available funds or economic resources directly or indirectly to or for the benefit of, the Myanmar security forces;

(b) a person who is owned or controlled directly or indirectly (within the meaning of regulation 7) by, or otherwise makes available funds or economic resources directly or indirectly to or for the benefit of, any person mentioned in paragraph (3)(f)(i) to (iii);

(c) a person who is not an individual (“C”) where more than one person, each of whom is a current or former member of, a unit of, or an organisation associated with, the Myanmar security forces, together—

(i) hold directly or indirectly more than 50% of the shares in C (within the meaning set out in Schedule 1),

(ii) hold directly or indirectly more than 50% of the voting rights in C (within the meaning set out in Schedule 1), or

(iii) hold the right directly or indirectly to appoint or remove a majority of the board of directors of C (within the meaning set out in Schedule 1).

(7) In this regulation—

• “dual-use goods” and “dual-use technology” have the meanings given by Part 5;

• “militia” means a national, regional or local armed group which supports or receives funding from, but is not part of or integrated into, the Myanmar security forces;

• “restricted goods” and “restricted technology” have the meanings given by Part 5;

• “the State Administration Council” means the State Administration Council established in Myanmar on 2 February 2021, and includes any successor entity with equivalent functions.

Commencement Information

I1 Reg. 6 in force at 29.4.2021 at 2.00 p.m., see reg. 1(2)