The Bureau of Industry and Security is expanding its export controls to make more items subject to license requirements under its Iran foreign direct product rule, increasing its Iran-related restrictions under the Export Administration Regulations. The final rule, which was released July 24 but took effect July 23, implements certain provisions in the wide-ranging national security bill President Joe Biden signed into law in April (see 2404240043).
Alabama resident and business owner Ray Hunt pleaded guilty this month to conspiring to illegally export U.S.-origin goods to Iran, DOJ announced. Hunt was charged in December after the agency said Hunt conspired to ship parts used in the oil and gas industry to Iran and submitted false export information to the U.S. government (see 2211300011). Hunt faces a maximum five-year prison sentence.
The Census Bureau emailed tips last week on how to address the most frequent messages generated this month in the Automated Export System.
The EU General Court last week annulled three European Council decisions sanctioning Vladimir Rashevsky, former CEO and director of mineral fertilizer giant EuroChem. The court didn't consider the most recent listing decision imposing sanctions on Rashevsky.
Certain shipments of animal products and byproducts exported from Canada and then returned to the country unchanged may need an import license as of July 10, the country said.
The U.K. must reassess whether it should investigate cotton imports from China suspected of being made with forced labor after an appellate court ruled last month that the country’s National Crime Agency wrongly decided against opening the probe.
A new, “modernized” Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement took effect July 1 that maintains the preferential market access outlined in the two countries' original deal from 2017 while adding new language to further “enhance trade” and incorporate provisions on labor, the environment and more, Canada said this week. “The modernized CUFTA will enhance trade, increase economic cooperation” and “signals Canada’s unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s long-term security, stability and economic recovery following Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country,” Canada said. Mary Ng, Canada’s trade minister, said “when the war is over, Canadian businesses and exporters will be ready to help rebuild the Ukraine of tomorrow.”
The Bureau of Industry and Security this week added six entities to the Entity List for either helping to train China’s military, evading U.S. government end-use checks or shipping export-controlled items to Russia. The agency also updated its Unverified List, adding 13 new parties and removing eight others, including one Russian company that it transferred to the Entity List earlier this year. Both rules took effect July 3.
The free trade agreement between China and Serbia will take effect July 1, China's Ministry of Commerce announced, according to an unofficial translation. The ministry said the deal will scrap tariffs on 90% of goods, of which over 60% will be eliminated July 1. The deal also includes chapters on "rules of origin, customs procedures and trade facilitation, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, trade remedies, dispute settlement, intellectual property protection, investment cooperation, competition, etc.," the ministry said.
Senior U.S. sanctions and export control officials recently warned a group of American CEOs to do more due diligence on their semiconductor shipments, telling them Chinese suppliers are frequently sending their products to Russia.