Collaborating with Sanctioned Countries

The UO values the ability of its faculty to engage in scholarship and research in an open environment. Scholarship and research may lead some faculty to have a compelling reason to develop a collaboration with another scholar or organization located in a sanctioned country.

While not prohibited outright, collaborations with persons or entities residing in currently sanctioned countries, listed below, requires additional due diligence. 

Before engaging in a collaboration with a person or entity in a sanctioned country:

  1. Request a Compliance Check. Requesting a compliance check on the person or entity is the first step to ensuring that the collaboration can move ahead. The compliance check request form will give the export control officer enough information to begin the check, and they may reach out to you with questions to get a better understanding of the nature of the collaboration.
     
  2. Work with the export control officer to apply for a license, if one is needed. After completing the compliance check, the export control officer may determine that an export control license is required for the collaboration. Applying for an export control license is a collaborative process, shepherded by the export control officer, in which your input and responsiveness will be needed. It may take 5-6 months for a license to be issued after the application is submitted, so please allow for ample time to complete this step before engaging in the collaboration.
     
  3. Work with the appropriate central office required to sign an agreement, if one is needed. Individual employees are not permitted to sign contracts, memorandums of understanding, material or data transfer agreements, grants, or other types of agreements. Most agreements should generally be treated as sponsored projects, even if those agreements are unfunded, and routed through Sponsored Project Services. Material or data transfer agreements are developed with Industry, Innovation, and Translation.

Current Sanctioned Countries

Currently, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) administers economic sanctions for the following countries:

  • Afghanistan
  • Balkans
  • Belarus
  • Burma
  • Central African Republic
  • China
  • Cuba
  • Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Ethiopia
  • Hong Kong
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Lebanon
  • Libya
  • Mali
  • Nicaragua
  • North Korea
  • Russia
  • Somalia
  • South Sudan
  • Syria
  • Ukraine
  • Venezuela
  • Yemen
  • Zimbabwe