The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Russian people, entities and other actors for trying to influence the 2018 U.S. midterm elections, Treasury said in a Sept. 30 press release. The sanctions also increase pressure on Yevgeniy Prigozhin, a previously designated Russian businessman, by sanctioning three of his planes, a yacht and employees of the Internet Research Agency (IRA), which Prigozhin funds, Treasury said.
Former National Security Adviser John Bolton said U.S. sanctions are not being enforced effectively and criticized what he said is a lack of U.S. involvement in the Japan-South Korea trade dispute.
In the Sept. 27 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union the following trade-related notices were posted:
The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices as of Sept. 27 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):
Japan said it allowed exports of hydrogen fluoride to South Korea in August, disputing what it called “incorrect” media reports that said Japan stopped all such the exports, according to a Sept. 27 press release from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Japan said “certain amounts of controlled hydrogen fluoride” have been released for export to South Korea, and that it will grant export licenses for fluorinated polyimide, resists and hydrogen fluoride if the exports of those items of concern are “verified as legitimate civil transactions.” In July, Japan added restrictions on exports to South Korea of the three chemicals commonly used in smart chips and other high tech goods (see 1907010020).
The State Department is seeking public comments on the paperwork burden relating to a notice of proposed information collection on certain technology security/clearance plans, screening records and non-disclosure agreements required by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. Comments are due Oct. 30.
The State Department appears to have inadvertently removed an incentive for companies to voluntarily disclose export control violations, according to a Sept. 25 post by Winston & Strawn, pointing to a recent settlement between the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls and L3 Harris Technologies.
The State Department sanctioned Raul Modesto Castro Ruz, the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party and first secretary of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces, according to a Sept. 26 press release. The State Department also sanctioned his children: Alejandro Castro Espin, Deborah Castro Espin, Mariela Castro Espin and Nilsa Castro Espin. Castro is being sanctioned for human rights violations, the press release said. "As General of Cuba’s Armed Forces, Castro is responsible for Cuba’s actions to prop up the former Maduro regime in Venezuela through violence, intimidation, and repression," it said.
The European Union sanctioned seven members of Venezuelan’s security and intelligence forces for human rights violations, the European Council said in a Sept. 27 press release. The EU said it now has active Venezuelan sanctions imposed on 25 people. The sanctions include travel bans and asset freezes.
A sanctioned shipping company received expedited removal from the Treasury’s sanctions list because of its cooperation, transparency and commitments to the agency, according to a Sept. 25 post by Winston & Strawn.