Jacob Kopnick

The European Council on March 25 extended until March 31, 2026, its sanctions related to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the European Council announced. The sanctions target those who undermine the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina, threaten the security situation in the nation or "undermine the Dayton/Paris General Framework Agreement for Peace."

The European Commission on March 22 proposed increasing tariffs on imports of cereals, oilseeds and derivative products from Russia and Belarus, including "wheat, maize, and sunflower meal." The European Council will next review the proposal.

The World Trade Organization General Council on March 22 reached consensus on chairpersons for 2024. The new chairs include Norway's Petter Olberg for the General Council, Saudi Arabia's Saqer Abdullah Almoqbel for the dispute settlement body and Chile's Sofia Boza Martinez for the Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, among others. The WTO noted that talks on a candidate for the chair of the Committee on Trade in Services will continue under Olberg's care, "with the aim of filling the vacancy as rapidly as possible."

India and the U.S. told the World Trade Organization that they reached a solution in the U.S. dispute on India's tariff measures on certain agricultural products, the WTO announced. India and the U.S. resolved six other disputes last year (see 2306230038), the WTO noted.

The EU General Court on March 20 annulled the sanctions listing of tire maker Belshyna AAT, finding that the company wasn't a significant source of revenue for the Belarusian government.

The EU General Court on March 20 annuled the sanctions listing of former Formula One driver Nikita Mazepin, saying the link between Mazepin and his father -- sanctioned Russian oligarch Dmitry Mazepin -- is insufficient for the driver's listing on the Russia sanctions regime.

Parties to the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement at the World Trade Organization held a meeting March 19, where they reaffirmed their goal of incorporating the deal into the WTO framework "as a most-favoured-nation-based plurilateral agreement open to all members," the WTO said. In addition, Burkina Faso announced that it supports adding the deal to the WTO framework, becoming the 125th member to do so.

The EU and the Philippines are resuming negotiations on a free trade agreement, the European Commission announced March 18. The commission said the goals of the FTA will be market access for goods and services, easier digital and sustainable trade, "effective sanitary and phytosanitary" procedures, sustainable food systems and intellectual property rights protections. The EU also noted the Philippines' large reserves of critical raw materials, "including nickel, copper and chromite," as a reason for resuming the FTA talks. The first round of talks are expected to be held "later this year."

The Council of the EU and the European Parliament "provisionally" agreed March 20 to renew until June 5, 2025, the suspension of import duties and quotas on goods from Ukraine for another year, the council announced. The council and parliament will next need to formally approve the agreement for the one-year extension.

Canadian national Klaus Pflugbeil, a resident of China, was arrested March 19 for allegedly conspiring to send an unnamed U.S. electric vehicle company's trade secrets to "undercover law enforcement officers," DOJ announced. Pflugbeil allegedly conspired with Chinese national Yilong Shao to send the trade secrets. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison if convicted.