Sanctions screening
Checking a person, company or transaction against official sanctions lists and related restrictions, including the control rule for entities owned by sanctioned persons.
Practical significance
Technically, screening is name-matching against lists, but the value of the work lies in verifying the matches. A false positive on a namesake blocks a normal operation, while a missed real overlap through an ownership chain creates a direct violation.
Where it is used
- payments and international settlements
- onboarding of clients and counterparties
- verification of ownership structures
- preparation of deals with a foreign element
What the term does not mean
Screening does not provide a legal assessment of whether a particular regime applies - that is done by a lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction. The absence of matches does not remove other restrictions.
How it differs from «PEP»
Sanctions are a direct legal prohibition with specific consequences. PEP is a category of heightened attention without a prohibition on operations. More about this term
Illustrative example
The counterparty has no direct matches, but 55% of its parent company is owned by a sanctioned person - under the control rule, the restrictions extend to it as well.
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Definition verified 3 August 2026
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