By Grace Kim, Global Law Wire

The European Union has published its decision to remove Mikhail Gutseriev and Sergei Shautsou from its sanctions list. The publication confirms that the two men no longer fall under the EU's restrictive measures. Practitioners advising on EU sanctions compliance now have formal notice of the delisting.

What did the EU decide?

The EU published the decision removing Gutseriev and Shautsou from the sanctions list. Publication in the Official Journal is the step that makes a delisting operative. Until publication, a name remains on the list for enforcement purposes.

The decision concerns two individuals: Gutseriev and Shautsou. Their names no longer appear among persons subject to EU restrictive measures.

Takeaway: the delisting took legal effect upon publication, not upon any earlier internal vote.

What does the delisting change?

For the individuals, removal frees their assets from EU-wide freezing obligations. Banks, payment providers and counterparties inside the bloc can resume transactions without a sanctions licence.

For compliance teams, the change is procedural but urgent. Screening systems must update. Firms relying on static lists risk false positives or, worse, wrongful refusals of transactions to delisted parties.

Sanctions counsel should note several practical points:

• Update automated screening filters against the published list version.
• Review any frozen funds or economic resources tied to the two names and prepare release.
• Check contractual sanctions clauses that reference "EU designated persons" — the reference may now fall away.
• Document the compliance review date in case of later audit.

A single long sentence for files and memos: clients holding frozen assets belonging to the two men should act promptly on release, because continued restraint after publication of a delisting exposes the firm to claims for damages and to regulatory criticism.

Takeaway: the burden now shifts to firms to unfreeze and to update screening without delay.

Why does publication timing matter?

EU delisting takes effect when the decision appears in the Official Journal. The published decision is the authoritative text. Advisers should cite it, not press reports, when instructing banks or counterparties.

Delisting does not automatically reverse past enforcement. Earlier freezes, refusals and contract suspensions that were lawful at the time stand. Clients seeking compensation for losses incurred while listed face a separate legal fight.

Takeaway: publication ends future restriction but does not erase the past.