欧盟和美国目前已经增强了对叙利亚的制裁。根据2011年9月3日生效的欧盟条例878/2011，可能P&I保险对违反下列条款，运输原产于叙利亚的原油或者石油产品不负有责任。
第三条a款，禁止下列活动：
a. 禁止进口以下原油或者石油产品进入欧盟
(i)原产于叙利亚；或者
(ii)从叙利亚出口
b. 禁止购买位于叙利亚或者原产于叙利亚的原油或者石油产品
c. 禁止运输原产于叙利亚或者从叙利亚出口到任何国家的原油或者石油产品
d. 禁止直接或者间接提供与(a)(b)(c)条中有关的融资，融资协助，包括金融衍生产品，保险和再保险
e. 禁止有意地参与达到直接或者间接规避(a)(b)(c)(d)条中规定的目标或者效果的活动
尽管欧盟以上禁令立即生效，但是在第三条b款下有除外情况（前提是提前7天通知欧盟成员国的主管部门），可在2001年11月15日前履行在2011年9月2日之前订立的涉及被禁止活动的合同责任。同时也允许，2011年11月15日前购买2011年9月2日以前从叙利亚出口的原油或石油产品。
从2011年8月18日起，美国已经采取了相似措施，该措施禁止美国保险人或者再保险人如下行为：
- 禁止向作为叙利亚制裁目标的承运人提供保险，（例如，叙利亚实体），或者向其租进租出船舶
- 禁止向在叙利亚的被保险人或者在叙利亚的船舶出口保险服务
- 禁止向非叙利亚制裁目标的被保险人运输来自叙利亚的石油或者石油产品提供保险
- 禁止直接或者间接地向以叙利亚制裁目标作为保单下或者关于在叙利亚引起的事件中的索赔人的赔偿
在没有涉及美国人或者美国贸易的情况下，非美国保险人可以在技术上实施上述四项行为。例如，被保险人不是美国人，也没有美国公民或者在美国的人代理或者代表非美国保险人。然而 ，如果通过美国银行系统汇入或者汇出的索赔或者交易和叙利亚或者叙利亚实体有关，那么非美国保险人的支付将会被冻结或者拒绝。另外，如果非美国人造成美国人（例如，金融机构）违反制裁，也会触犯美国法律。
因此，由于保险人的风险，非美国保险人（包括P&I协会）可能会对关于发生在叙利亚或者涉及叙利亚实体、贸易或者产品不负有保险责任。
详细信息请参阅附件。
Syria – Expansion of Sanctions by EU and US
EU and US have enhanced sanctions against Syria recently. Pursuant to EU Regulation 878/2011 with effect from 3 Sep 2011, there may be no P&I cover for liabilities arising from the transportation or carriage of crude oil or petroleum products originating from Syria in breach of following provision.
Article 3a – the following activities are now prohibited:
a. Importation of crude oil or petroleum products into the European Union if they:
(i) Originate in Syria; or
(ii) Have been exported from Syria;
b. Purchase of crude oil or petroleum products which are located in or which originated in Syria;
c. Transportation of crude oil or petroleum products if they originate in Syria, or are being exported from Syria to any other country;
d. provision, directly or indirectly, of financing or financial assistance, including financial derivatives, as well as insurance and re-insurance, related to the prohibitions set out in points (a), (b) and (c); and
e. Participation, knowingly and intentionally, in activities whose object or effect is, directly or indirectly, to circumvent the prohibitions in points (a), (b), (c) or (d).
Although the EU ban on the above activities has immediate effect, there is dispensation under Article 3 b (subject to 7 days advance notice given to a competent authority of an EU Member State) for the execution, by no later than 15 November 2011, of contractual obligations involving prohibited activities, where such obligations had been entered into before 2 September 2011. It is also permitted, up to 15 November 2011, to purchase crude oil or petroleum products which had been exported from Syria prior to 2 September 2011.
US have adopted similar measures with effect from 18 Aug 2011, which prohibit US insurers or reinsurers from:
- providing coverage to a carrier that is a Syrian sanctions target (e.g., a Syrian entity), or for a vessel that is chartered out to or chartered in from a Syrian sanctions target;
- exporting insurance services to an assured while the assured or a covered vessel is in Syria;
- providing insurance cover to an assured (that is not a Syrian sanctions target) transporting petroleum or petroleum products from Syria;
- Making payments under applicable insurance cover if made (directly or indirectly) to a Syrian sanctions target that is a claimant under an insurance policy, or with respect to an incident arising in Syria.
Non-US insurers may technically be able to carry out any of the four activities set out above, provided that no United States persons or trade with the United States are involved. However, payments by or to a non-US insurer through the US banking system could be blocked or rejected if the claim or transaction relates to Syria or a Syrian entity. Further, a non-US person can commit a violation of US law if they cause a US person (e.g. a financial institution) to violate the sanctions.
Accordingly, P&I coverage for liabilities occurring in Syria or involving Syrian entities, trade or products, may not be available from non-US insurers because of the risks posed for the insurer.
See attached file : ALCO20110035Syria – Expansion of Sanctions by EU and US.pdf
