Polish authorities arrested four Polish citizens and one Russian citizen for allegedly illegally importing Russian and Belarusian birch plywood in violation of sanctions, the country's Ministry of Finance said Dec. 29, according to an unofficial translation. The ministry said the plywood was imported into Poland "under false declarations of country of origin -- Kazakhstan and Turkey -- to allow for legal trade within the" EU.

The Council of the European Union on Dec. 22 renewed until July 31 its sanctions on Russia for its war in Ukraine. The measures consist of a broad array of sectoral restrictions, including sanctions on "trade, finance, energy, technology and dual-use goods, industry, transport and luxury goods," the council said. They also include a ban on the import or transfer of seaborne crude oil and petroleum products from Russia to the EU, the removal of many Russian banks from SWIFT and the suspension of broadcasting activities in the EU of various "Kremlin-backed disinformation outlets."

The European Commission on Dec. 19 imposed definitive antidumping duties on choline chloride from China, with rates ranging from 90% to 115.9%, the commission announced. Choline chloride is a chemical primarily used as an additive in feed for animals and pets. The EU-based industry is located in Belgium, Italy and Spain.

The U.K.'s Export Control Joint Unit is asking holders of Open General Export Licenses to submit their annual reports about trade made under those licenses during 2025, it said in an email. Exporters submitting those "annual returns" should verify that the transactions were made during the correct reporting period (Jan. 1, 2025-Dec. 31, 2025) and that they "surrender any licences no longer in use after submitting returns." The agency added that it's updating its open license returns guidance next year.

The U.K. published more guidance about its shift next year to a single list for all sanctions designations (see 2510140023). The country's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation issued a new format guide for the new list, guidance with information on how businesses should prepare for the change, and a recording of a webinar about the change. OFSI said businesses should make sure they "understand the impact of the closure" of the agency's OFSI consolidated list, and said companies should switch to the new U.K. Sanctions List "as your primary source of designations data now, and in any case no later than 28 January 2026."

The Council of the European Union sanctioned two members of Russia's judiciary for committing serious human rights violations and undermining democracy and the rule of law in Russia, the council announced Dec. 22. It said Dmitry Gordeev, a judge of the Moscow City Court, has "repeatedly issued politically motivated rulings against opposition figures and human rights defenders," and Lyudmila Balandina, a prosecutor, has pursued cases against critics of the Russian regime.

The European Commission is seeking public comments on possible export tariffs on certain aluminum scrap, which it said could lead to proposed "targeted measures" as soon as the spring. The consultation period comes after the EU in March adopted a steel and metals "action plan" that stressed the importance of ensuring "sufficient availability of scrap for EU producers." That plan said the Commission planned to examine "whether additional measures, such as export fees or export duties, are necessary." Comments are due by the end of Jan. 31.

The U.K.'s Export Control Joint Unit last week added anhydrous ammonia to the scope of a Russia-related general license that authorizes certain trade in fertilizers. The license covers certain financial services and other activities that make funds available to people connected with Russia "for the supply or delivery of specified fertiliser goods from Russia to a third country and making specified fertiliser goods available from Russia to a person in a third country," as long as they're intended for agricultural use.

The U.K. extended its antidumping duties on aluminum foil in rolls from China until June 6, 2029. Specifically, the duties cover aluminum foil "of a thickness of 0.007mm or more but less than 0.021mm, not backed, not further worked than rolled but whether or not embossed, in low weight rolls of a weight not exceeding 10kg." Respondent CeDo (Shanghai) will receive a 14.2% AD rate, respondent Ningbo Times Aluminum Foil Technology will receive a 15.6% rate, respondents that weren't individually investigated will receive a 14.6% rate, and the all-others rate will be 35.6%.

The U.K. on Dec. 18 issued a new Russia-related general license allowing certain wind-down transactions with Russian oil companies Russneft, Tatneft, Rusneftegaz Group, NNK-Oil and any of their subsidiaries. The license also authorizes "the closing out of any positions" involving those entities. It expires 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 31.