The U.K. issued a new version of a Russia-related legal services general license to reset the cap on fees that can be paid to British law firms by parties subject to Russia-related sanctions. The legal fees cap is set at about $2.68 million (or 2 million pounds) per law firm and the expenses cap at 10% of the legal fees, up to about $268,000 (or 200,000 pounds), for the duration of the license. The license takes effect April 29 and expires Oct. 28. The previous license expired April 28 (see 2410290017).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned three vessels and their owners for supporting the Yemen-based Houthis and the group's attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, including by supplying them with oil shipments.
Japanese lawmakers this week urged the Trump administration to continue engaging with allies on economic security issues and to not close off America from Japanese investment, saying Japanese companies will help grow American exports and reduce the U.S. trade deficit.
The Council of the European Union on April 25 extended its sanctions on Myanmar for one year, pushing them to April 30, 2026. The restrictions currently apply to 106 individuals and 22 entries and include an asset freeze, arms embargo and restriction on the export of dual-use goods and equipment for monitoring communication that may be used for internal repression.
A new executive order aimed at reducing regulatory restrictions around weapons sales could speed up exports to allies and remove other trade barriers, law firms said, although key questions remain about how U.S. agencies will implement it.
The U.K. extended the general sanctions license permitting insolvency-related payments and activities involving GTLK Europe and GTLK Capital until July 31, 2030. The license specifically permits any individual or corporation to "make, receive or process any payments, or take any other action, in connection with any Insolvency Proceedings, whether prior to or after the commencement of such proceedings." The license had been slated to expire July 31, 2025.
The U.K. dropped 12 entities from its Syria sanctions regime on April 24, including major government ministries and media outlets, according to a notice from the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation. Those entities are the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defence, General Intelligence Directorate, Air Force Intelligence Agency, Political Security Directorate, Syrian National Security Bureau, Military Intelligence Directorate, Army Supply Bureau, General Organisation of Radio and TV, Al Watan, Cham Press TV and Sama TV.
China, which has imposed export controls on critical minerals in recent years to retaliate against foreign trade restrictions, is expected to continue doing so, a researcher told the congressionally mandated U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission April 24.
The Bureau of Industry and Security said April 24 that it added 18 entities to its Unverified List after it was unable to verify the “legitimacy and reliability” of the parties through end-use checks, including their ability to responsibly receive controlled U.S. exports. It also removed five companies from the list.
The leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee urged the Trump administration April 21 to give Syria additional sanctions relief to help stabilize the war-torn country.