The Ukrainian and European parliaments ratified a political and trade pact on Sept. 16, following a decision in the days prior to delay implementation of the market access provisions. The deal was originally scheduled to take effect in November, but both sides, along with Russia, agreed to delay the trade portion until Dec. 31, 2015 (here). The EU Commission unilaterally opened its market to Ukrainian traders, said the body in a release (here). “The Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement part substantially integrates the EU and Ukraine markets, by dismantling import duties and banning other trade restrictions, albeit with specific limitations and transitional periods in ‘sensitive’ areas, such as trade in agricultural products,” said the EU. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko championed the deal as a move to bring Ukraine closer to the European community, despite Russian resistance. “Recent agreements achieved in Brussels have given Ukraine even more than the agreement provides for,” said Poroshenko (here). “Ukraine has guaranteed preferences until the end of 2015. Ukrainian goods will be sold in the EU duty-free while European goods in the Ukrainian market will work under the WTO rules supporting Ukrainian manufacturers, Ukrainian budget and Ukrainian currency rate.” Plans to shelve the deal led to the Ukrainian protests that forced the departure of the country’s former president in February.
Russia export controls and sanctions
The use of export controls and sanctions on Russia has surged since the country's invasion of Crimea in 2014, and especially its invasion of Ukraine in in February 2022. Similar export controls and sanctions have been imposed by U.S. allies, including the EU, U.K. and Japan. The following is a listing of recent articles in Export Compliance Daily on export controls and sanctions imposed on Russia:
The U.S. will join the European Union in imposing another round of Russian sanctions on Sept. 12, said President Barack Obama the day before in a statement. The measures will again target the Russian financial, energy and defense sectors. "We are implementing these new measures in light of Russia’s actions to further destabilize Ukraine over the last month, including through the presence of heavily armed Russian forces in eastern Ukraine," said Obama. "These measures will increase Russia’s political isolation as well as the economic costs to Russia, especially in areas of importance to President Putin and those close to him."
On Sept. 10 the Foreign Agricultural Service posted the following GAIN reports:
On Sept. 9 the Foreign Agricultural Service posted the following GAIN reports:
The European Union is poised in the “next few days” to put into effect another sanctions package against Russia, the body said in a Sept. 8 statement, while withholding details until the package enters into the body’s Official Journal. “Depending on the situation on the ground, the EU stands ready to review the agreed sanctions in whole or in part,” said European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, saying it will continue to monitor the security situation. The sanctions aim to strengthen the most recent EU package put into force in late July, said the statement. The July 31 measures targeted financial institutions, arms, dual-use goods, and energy technologies (here). Russia remains at loggerheads with Western countries over the months-old conflict in Ukraine.
The European Commission, the executive body of the European Union, adopted on Sept. 3 proposed new sanctions against Russia, the commission said in a press release. Member states are now considering the measures, which target financial markets, defense and dual-use goods, as well as certain technologies, the release said without further elaboration. European Commission President José Manuel Barroso said on Aug. 30 the EU is edging closer to implementing additional sanctions (see 14090209).
Beginning on Jan. 1, CBP will issue penalties to any vessels that don’t provide two-year port of call data or that visited ports in areas with Asian gypsy moths during the high-risk period and are not pre-certified as free of the pests, said the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Canadian Food Inspection Agency in a joint letter. Vessels arriving from Far East Russia, Japan, Korea and China are already required to be inspected and obtain pre-departure certification from a recognized certification body, and provide the certification to the U.S. or Canadian. All vessels must also provide port of call data for the last two years at least 96 hours prior to arrival in North America. But currently only Canada imposes penalties for violating the requirements.
On Sept. 3 the Foreign Agricultural Service posted the following GAIN reports:
On Sept. 2 the Foreign Agricultural Service posted the following GAIN reports:
The following lawsuits were filed at the Court of International Trade during the week of Aug. 25-31: