Saeima adopts amendments to the national sanctions law; published in Latvijas Vēstnesis

Amendments adopted by the Saeima to the Law on International and National Sanctions of the Republic of Latvia were published in the official gazette Latvijas Vēstnesis on October 1, 2026, in issue No. 189. The law is included in the “Constitutional Institutions” section of the publication under sequence number 18 with the official reference OP 2026/189. Publication in the official gazette is the promulgation stage of the law, and it is publicly available in the table of contents of the issue.

The title of the law indicates that it regulates the application of both international and national sanctions of the Republic of Latvia. The amendments affect the procedure for the application and enforcement of sanctions; therefore, they are significant for companies, financial institutions, and persons subject to restrictions, as well as institutions that apply and monitor sanctions.

Package of laws with which the amendments were published

In issue No. 189 of October 1, the Saeima published 19 adopted laws (points 1–19). The amendments to the Sanctions Law are part of a broader set of legal acts that simultaneously affect the financial market, payment circuits, and the prevention of money laundering:

• Amendments to the Civil Procedure Law (point 3)
• Amendments to the Law on Markets in Financial Instruments (point 4)
• Amendments to the Law on Payment Services and Electronic Money (point 10)
• Amendments to the Law on the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist and Proliferation Financing (point 13)
• Amendments to the National Security Law (point 19, publication clarification)

National sanctions are also established by government orders

The topic of sanctions is not the only one in issue No. 189: on September 23, 2026, two Cabinet of Ministers orders on the establishment of national sanctions were published in Latvijas Vēstnesis No. 183 (OP 2026/183):

• Cabinet of Ministers Order No. 580 “On the Establishment of National Sanctions”
• Cabinet of Ministers Order No. 581 “On the Establishment of National Sanctions”

This means that the national sanctions regime is implemented at two levels: through the general procedure established by law and through specific restrictions established by government decisions.

Financial sector supervisory acts in the same period

For financial institutions involved in the enforcement of sanctions, the regulations of the Bank of Latvia published on September 30, 2026, in issue No. 188 (OP 2026/188) are also significant:

• Bank of Latvia Regulation No. 425 — amendments to Regulation No. 259 of November 27, 2023, “Regulations on the Licensing of Credit Institutions, the Issuance of Certain Permits, and the Provision of Information”
• Bank of Latvia Regulation No. 426 — amendments to Regulation No. 266 of December 18, 2023, “Regulations on the Application of Options Provided for in Directly Applicable European Union Legal Acts on Prudential Requirements”

Who should follow these updates

Amendments to the sanctions law must be taken into account by anyone operating in the field of sanctions compliance. The practical impact most often manifests as:

• the obligation to screen transaction partners against sanctions lists;
• updating internal control procedures in financial institutions;
• adherence to the deadlines for the execution of decisions and orders and the procedures for contesting them;
• preparation of documentation for supervisory authorities.

Why this is important

The legal regulation of sanctions is one of the most sensitive elements of the Latvian legal system, as it simultaneously protects national security interests and defines economic activity restrictions for specific persons and companies. The official publication in Latvijas Vēstnesis is the authoritative source through which institutions and companies can verify the text of the law and its validity; unofficial republications are not considered a sufficient reference in compliance documentation.

Official source: Latvijas Vēstnesis, October 1, 2026, No. 189, OP 2026/189, point 18 — Law “Amendments to the International and Republic of Latvia National Sanctions Law” (https://www.vestnesis.lv/url/16990?content=1). Additional context: Latvijas Vēstnesis, September 23, 2026, No. 183, OP 2026/183, points 1–2 — Cabinet of Ministers Orders No. 580 and No. 581; Latvijas Vēstnesis, September 30, 2026, No. 188, OP 2026/188, points 5–6 — Bank of Latvia Regulations No. 425 and No. 426.