The Council of the EU on April 12 passed a law establishing minimum rules for the prosecution of "violation or circumvention of EU sanctions in member states," the council announced. Various actions, including working to skirt a travel ban and trading in sanctioned goods, will be considered criminal offenses in all member states.

The U.K. added three entities to its Sudan sanctions list on April 15, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation announced. The entities are gold exporter Al-Fakher Advanced Works Co., Alkhaleej Bank Co. and Red Rock Mining Co., all of which are accused of funding the Rapid Support Forces, one of the main parties in the Sudan conflict.

The U.K. last week published new guidance on how companies can identify and report "harmful" trade practices affecting U.K. industries. The document covers issues involving foreign subsidies, forced technology transfers, unfair benefits received by state-owned firms, dumped foreign imports and more.

The U.K. Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation on April 10 amended its general sanctions license allowing for the winding down of interactions with Turkish shipping companies Active Denizcilik and Beks Ships. OFSI removed the language barring funds or economic resources from being made available "for the benefit of any designated person."

The European Commission conducted its 13th negotiation session with five eastern and southern African nations to expand the existing economic partnership agreement, the Directorate-General for Trade announced. The nations are Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and Zimbabwe. The commission released a report detailing the negotiations, which took place in Comoros March 18-22 and "included discussions at technical level on all open thematic parts covered by these negotiations." The chapters on fisheries and technical barriers to trade were provisionally concluded, while three more chapters -- customs and trade facilitation, competition, and transparency in public procurement -- were quasi-concluded as "compromise proposals were exchanged," the commission said.

The Council of the EU on March 12 extended the sanctions regime for those that threaten the sovereignty of Ukraine for another six months, until Sept. 15. The sanctions apply to over 2,100 individuals and entities.

Switzerland on April 10 adopted the EU's sanctions listing of six individuals who support Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Federal Council announced. Switzerland also adopted the EU's Guatemala listing of five individuals and its Sudan designations of six entities. The council said the new measures "contain exceptions for humanitarian activities." They entered into force on April 10.

The U.K. Gambling Commission last week charged British sportsbook Bet365 over $729,000 for "anti-money laundering and social responsibility failures." The commission said the anti-money laundering violations included "failing to undertake financial sanctions checks on new customers prior to their first deposits" and "failing to undertake independent verification checks and [over-reliance] on customers' annual self-verification of know your customer information, such as identification documents."

The European Commission on April 10 released an updated report on "significant state-induced distortions" in China's economy, the Directorate-General for Trade announced. The report will allow EU industry to "use the most up-to-date information on the Chinese economy and on specific circumstances of the market" when filing antidumping petitions.

The U.K. on April 10 updated its guidance on export controls covering military goods, software and technology by adding language to the section concerning disclosures and violations. The section stresses the importance of voluntary disclosures, and if an "irregularity" is found during a compliance audit carried out by the government, the "compliance inspector will have informed" the country's revenue and customs agency, "and you are strongly advised to do the same.