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English Commercial Court: EU sanctions freeze on-demand bonds; NCA findings determinative; ownership/control including trusts and firewalls analysed; foreign illegality in France/Italy renders payment unenforceable under English law

Published on: 03 September 2025

Published by a LexisNexis Arbitration expert
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Article summary

LLC Eurochem North-West-2 and another company v Societe Generale S.A. and other companies [2025] EWHC 1938 (Comm)

This is a highly important decision for practitioners dealing with international sanctions, as the court delivers a detailed examination of how EU sanctions interface with domestic sanctions authorities in such circumstances. It also provides an in-depth consideration of the notions of ‘ownership’ and ‘control’ for the purpose of sanctions, including where trust arrangements feature, which is not unusual when there is a link to a designated individual. The ruling is likewise of real assistance to those working with performance bonds and related trade finance instruments in the sanctions context.

The background facts

The relevant parties

The dispute stemmed from six on-demand bonds (Bonds) issued in 2021 and 2022 by Société Générale (SocGen) and ING Bank (ING) (the Banks) in favour of EuroChem North-West-2 (EuroChem NW2), a Russian entity. The Bonds were issued under contracts between EuroChem NW2 and Tecnimont S.P.A (Tecnimont), an Italian engineering company, and its Russian affiliate LLMC MT Russia (MT Russia), for the construction of a fertiliser plant in Kingisepp, Russia...

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