Several U.S. and multinational companies recently disclosed potential U.S. sanctions violations or updated previous disclosures. The cases involve a destruction of evidence in a sanctions investigation, potentially illegal transactions with Iran, a gaming software company and others.
The Biden administration recently announced a series of new sanctions measures against Russia that take aim at the poisoning of Russian opposition figure Aleksey Navalny and officials connected to the country’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
Jorge Nobrega, chief executive of Achabal Technologies, was charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and commit money laundering, according to an Aug. 16 complaint filed at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Nobrega was charged in particular with violating the sanctions on Venezuela by repairing Venezuelan Air Force combat aircraft without an authorization (United States of America v. Jorge Nobrega, S.D. Fla. #21-03590).
The Environmental Protection Agency is setting new significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for 23 chemical substances subject to Premanufacture Notices (PMNs), it said in a final rule Aug. 18. As a result of the SNURs, persons planning to manufacture, import or process any of the chemical substances for an activity designated as a significant new use by this rule are required to notify EPA at least 90 days in advance. Importers of chemicals subject to these SNURs will need to certify their compliance with the SNUR requirements, and exporters of these chemical substances will now become subject to export notification requirements. The final rule takes effect Oct. 18. The SNURs cover the following:
The State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls recent settlement with Keysight Technologies shows the agency is growing more aggressive with certain compliance requirements and violations involving software and technical data, Miller & Chevalier said Aug. 18. At the same time, DDTC continues to reward cooperation and other mitigating factors with significant penalty reductions as it tries to incentivize companies to voluntarily disclose violations and work with the agency during its investigation.
China's top legislative body, the National People's Congress, on Aug. 20 will discuss extending an anti-sanctions law to Hong Kong, local Chinese media outlet TVB News quoted NPC Standing Committee delegate Tam Yiu-chung as saying, Reuters reported. Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam said she has no timeline for the implementation of the mainland Chinese law meant to retaliate against foreign sanctions.
The United Nations Security Council on Aug. 16 called on member countries to allow “unhindered” humanitarian access to Afghanistan amid the countrywide takeover by the Taliban. Countries should allow “immediate” access for “humanitarian actors providing assistance, including across conflict lines, to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches all those in need,” the UNSC said. U.S. sanctions regulations include carve-outs and licenses for some humanitarian activities, although groups have criticized the sanctions for hindering their work (see 2105260047). The European Union recently expanded its guidance for humanitarian efforts in countries subject to sanctions (see 2108170031).
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls said Aug. 18 it is reviewing all relevant pending and issued export licenses, as well as “other approvals,” in light of the Taliban’s actions in Afghanistan. The agency is determining their “suitability in furthering world peace, national security, and the foreign policy of the United States,” and said industry should expect “additional updates in the near future.”
The Bureau of Industry and Security released a final rule to make technical corrections and clarifications (see 2108110010) to a 2020 rule that transferred export control jurisdiction over certain firearms from the State Department to the Commerce Department. The rule, released Aug. 18 and effective Sept. 20, introduced changes to make the requirements “easier to understand” and “interpreted consistently,” BIS said.
The Bureau of Industry and Security fined a U.S. semiconductor manufacturer $469,060 for working with others to export chip-making equipment to Chinese companies on the U.S. Entity List, BIS said in an Aug. 16 order. The company, California-based Dynatex International, violated the Export Administration Regulations because it didn’t obtain the required BIS license before shipping the equipment. Although BIS said Dynatex knew it was shipping items to blacklisted companies, the agency substantially reduced the fine as part of a settlement agreement.