A new EU sanctions framework against Russia will allow the bloc to designate people and entities involved in undermining foreign elections and democratic institutions, the sabotage of economic activities, disinformation and manipulation, "malicious" cyber activities and more. The Council of the EU said it established the new framework Oct. 8, allowing the EU to sanction those undermining the "fundamental values of the EU and its member states, their security, independence and integrity, as well as those of international organisations and third countries." The framework was based on a proposal by Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign affairs and security policy chief, to respond to the "continued campaign of hybrid activities by Russia," the council said.
Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao urged U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo this week to lift U.S. semiconductor export restrictions against China (see 2211010042 and 2302020034) and reverse its proposed import restrictions on Chinese connected vehicles (see 2409220001), saying the two countries need to reach a clearer understanding around their national security-related trade policies.
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Oregon-based aerospace parts manufacturer Precision Castparts Corp. was fined $3 million after the State Department said its subsidiary illegally shared technical data with employees who were foreign nationals of Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Bhutan, Peru and Burundi, violating U.S. defense export controls.
Ross Denton, a U.K.-based export control, sanctions and trade lawyer, has joined Akin’s London office as a senior counsel in its international trade practice, the firm announced on LinkedIn. Ross previously worked for Van Vael & Bellis.
The U.K. on Oct. 7 updated its end-user undertaking form -- which must be completed by all exporters to comply with standard individual export licences and standard individual trade control licences terms and conditions -- to remove references to its outgoing licensing system SPIRE. The country plans to retire SPIRE, or the Shared Primary Information Resource Environment, and replace it with its new digital export licensing system, Licensing for International Trade (LITE), in the coming months (see 2409190037).
Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, urged his colleagues last week to approve his Strategic Act, a wide-ranging China bill that contains several export control, sanctions and foreign investment provisions, including creation of a “tiger team” to start identifying targets for sanctions, export controls and other economic measures “well before China takes military action” against Taiwan.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned three people and a “sham charity” that it said are international financial supporters of the terror group Hamas. It also designated a “longstanding” Hamas supporter and nine of his businesses for their ties to the group. OFAC said they each “play critical roles in external fundraising” for Hamas, often by disguising their support as charity.
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls recently updated its list of commodity jurisdiction (CJ) determinations, which DDTC issues after receiving requests from industry to determine whether a commodity or service is covered by the U.S. Munitions List. The table includes several new CJ determinations issued in September, including certain subassemblies for tactical unmanned aerial vehicles, which DDTC classified as USML Category VIII(f); an item that allows helicopters to carry sling loads and serves as “a conduit for electric actuation of remote hooks and other electrically operated equipment,” which it classified under the Export Administration Regulations as EAR99; and a digital fuel gauge that it classified as USML Category VIII(h)(1).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week made several revisions to a May rule that updated its reporting, procedures and penalties regulations (see 2405080023), and offered guidance on how banks and their customers should treat cases in which a bank accidentally blocks funds because of mistaken identity or other errors.