The United Nations Security Council Committee on resolution 751 (1992) concerning Somalia issued an Aug. 3 guidance on export controls for components of improvised explosive devices shipped to Somalia. The guidance contains a list of items subject to the controls and mandatory notification requirements for exporters. The committee report also called on member states to conduct due diligence on exports to Somalia, keep records of transactions and share information with the committee on “suspicious purchases.”
The United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade officially removed Hong Kong as an eligible destination under 20 open general export licenses, one open general transhipment license and one open general trade control license, an Aug. 4 notice said. The U.K. also revoked two open general licenses in which Hong Kong was the only destination: a license for exports of certain dual-use goods for nonmilitary use and a license for exports of dual-use goods to any destination in Hong Kong. The moves come about a week after the U.K. imposed an arms embargo against Hong Kong due to interference from Beijing (see 2007230018).
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs began an interagency review of a Bureau of Industry and Security pre-rule to pinpoint potential controls for foundational technologies. OIRA received the rule Aug. 3. A BIS official said in May the agency was finalizing an internal review of the rule (see 2005190052), which has been expected since Congress passed the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 mandating BIS reviews of controls for both emerging and foundational technologies.
Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with some of the top stories for July 27-31 in case you missed them.
Democratic and Republican senators called on the State Department to do more to pressure the Nicolas Maduro regime in Venezuela, saying the U.S.’s approach, which they called ineffective, should include more multilateral support and stronger sanctions against Maduro’s allies. Several senators said they would back legislation to grant the administration more sanctions powers.
The Bureau of Industry and Security will hold a virtual export control policy conference Sept. 2, covering updates on export control regulations, license exceptions, semiconductor controls and the Entity List. The conference will include a question-and-answer session with BIS officials and “other agency experts,” and will feature updates from the State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, sanctions policy and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. BIS canceled its in-person annual conference earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic (see 2005210051).
The United Kingdom on July 31 imposed sanctions against six people and three entities responsible for cyberattacks. The designations mirror the European Union's July 30 measures against North Korean, Chinese and Russian cyberattackers (see 2007310007). The U.K. recently issued details for its post-Brexit cyber sanctions regime (see 2006220018).
The Council of the European Union renewed its terrorism sanctions regime for six months and added an entry to its ISIL (Da’esh) and al-Qaida sanctions regime, a July 30 notice said. The new designation is French national Bryan D’Ancona. The United Kingdom sanctioned D’Ancona July 31.
Iran announced sanctions on Richard Goldberg, a former aide to former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton, the Iranian government said Aug. 2, according to an unofficial translation. Goldberg, a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, called the designation a “badge of honor.” Bolton said “drawing sanctions from the corrupt Iranian regime for ‘economic terrorism’ shows the effectiveness of [Goldberg’s] work.”
The State Department expanded its sanctions regime on Iran’s metal sector (see 2001170042 and 1912170029) to capture 22 more “specific materials” used in Iran’s nuclear, military and ballistic missiles programs, the agency said July 30. Any person or company who knowingly transfers the metals to Iran may be subject to sanctions under the Irani Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act, the agency said.