Notice

General Trade Licence for sanctioned Russian diamonds processed in third countries

Updated 24 April 2025

Licence number: [GBSAN0002]

1. The Secretary of State grants this General Trade Licence under regulation 65 of the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (the ‘Russia Regulations’).

2. The prohibitions in regulations 46Z16R, 46Z16S, 46Z16T, and 46Z16U of Chapter 4JC (certain diamonds processed in a third country) of the Russia Regulations do not apply to anything done that is authorised under this Licence.

Interpretation

3. For the purposes of this Licence: 

a) ‘diamond’ means any thing falling within—

• i. the following commodity codes—
  • 7102 10 (unsorted diamonds)
  • 7102 39 (non-industrial diamonds, other than unworked or simply sawn, cleaved or bruted), and
• ii. both commodity code ex 7102 31 and the description ‘non-industrial diamonds, simply sawn, cleaved or bruted’

b) ‘relevant processed diamond’ means any diamond which— 

• i. was mined in Russia, and
• ii. has been processed in a third country 

c) ‘person’ means an individual, a body of persons corporate or unincorporate, any organisation or any association or combination of persons

d) ‘third country’ means a country that is not the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man or Russia

e) paragraph 1 of Schedule 3 to the Russia Regulations applies for the purposes of interpreting the definition of ‘diamond’

f) for the purposes of the definition of ‘relevant processed diamond’, a diamond is processed where it is— 

• i. altered
• ii. transformed in any way, or 
• iii. subjected to any other type of operation or process

Authorisation for relevant processed diamonds equal to or larger than 1 carat outside of Russia since before 1 March 2024 

4. The prohibitions specified at regulations 46Z16R to 46Z16U of the Russia Regulations do not apply to a relevant processed diamond, or in relation to a relevant processed diamond, where the conditions set out in paragraph 5 of this Licence are met. 

5. The conditions are that: 

a) the relevant processed diamond is equal to or larger than 1 carat

b) any diamond processed to produce the relevant processed diamond has not been located in Russia at any time beginning with 1 March 2024, and

c) the relevant processed diamond has not been located in Russia at any time beginning with 1 March 2024.

Authorisation for relevant processed diamonds equal to or larger than 0.5 carats and smaller than 1 carat outside of Russia since before 1 September 2024

6. The prohibitions specified at regulations 46Z16R to 46Z16U of the Russia Regulations do not apply to a relevant processed diamond, or in relation to a relevant processed diamond, where the conditions set out in paragraph 7 of this Licence are met.

7. The conditions are that:

a) the relevant processed diamond is equal to or larger than 0.5 carats and smaller than 1 carat

b) any diamond processed to produce the relevant processed diamond has not been located in Russia at any time beginning with 1 September 2024, and

c) the relevant processed diamond has not been located in Russia at any time beginning with 1 September 2024.

General

8. This Licence does not authorise any act which the person carrying out the act knows, or has reasonable grounds for suspecting, will result in a breach of any part of the Russia Regulations, save as authorised under this Licence or any other licence granted under the Russia Regulations.

9. Information provided to the Secretary of State in connection with this Licence shall be processed in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. This information may be disclosed to third parties as permitted or required by law, including as required under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 or permitted under regulation 78 of the Russia Regulations.

10. This Licence is subject to any obligation arising in respect of the Windsor Framework as it may apply through section 7A of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 in respect of Northern Ireland. 

11. The provisions of regulation 76 (general trade licences: records) of the Russia Regulations apply to any act under the authority of this Licence. 

12. This Licence comes into force on 1 March 2024. It is of indefinite duration and shall be periodically reviewed by the Secretary of State.

13. Paragraphs 6 and 7 of this licence were inserted to permit relevant processed diamonds equal to or larger than 0.5 carats but smaller than 1 carat to continue to be imported into the UK, provided that the relevant processed diamond, and any diamond from which it was processed, have been outside of Russia since 1 September 2024. They also permit ancillary services to be provided in relation to such imports. This variation came into force at 00:00 on 1 September 2024.

14. The definition of ‘relevant processed diamond’ in paragraph 3 of this Licence has been updated to align with the amendment to the Russia Regulations to clarify that prohibitions apply to diamonds mined in Russia. Paragraph 9 of this licence has been updated to include further detail on information sharing legislation. These variations came into force at midnight on 24 April 2025.

15. The Secretary of State has the power to vary, revoke or suspend this Licence at any time.

An Official of the Department for Business and Trade, authorised to act on behalf of the Secretary of State. 

First issued on 1 March 2024. Amended on 1 September 2024 and 24 April 2025.

Contact us

Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to: 

Import Sanctions Team
Department for Business and Trade
Old Admiralty Building
Admiralty Place
London
SW1A 2BL

Email importsanctions@businessandtrade.gov.uk

If you require this publication in an alternative format, email importsanctions@businessandtrade.gov.uk.