The U.K. has seen a steady uptick in the number of new criminal investigations on sanctions and export control violations over the last three years, with most having a Russia connection, the country’s trade enforcement agency said. The agency during that time has worked to strengthen its “capabilities for detecting and responding to sanctions breaches,” including by hiring 40 more criminal investigators and devoting more funding toward gathering “intelligence” on industry’s sanctions compliance efforts.
A new task force that the House Foreign Affairs Committee created to improve how the government handles foreign military sales and export controls has begun its work, committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., said Feb. 25.
The U.K. updated its Russia-related export control and sanctions guidance this week to provide more information on license requirements for common high-priority list items destined for Russia.
Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., reintroduced a bill Feb. 24 that would impose sanctions on foreign persons who engage in or facilitate forced organ harvesting in China. The Falun Gong Protection Act, named for Falun Gong spiritual movement followers who are among the main victims of involuntary organ harvesting, was referred to the House Foreign Affairs and Judiciary committees. The House passed the bill by voice vote in June 2024 in the previous Congress (see 2406260044).
The U.N. Security Council last week removed Lionel Dumont from its ISIL (Da’esh) and al-Qaida sanctions list. Dumont, a French national, was originally sanctioned for his ties to terrorism. The U.N. didn’t release more information.
Canada issued a new round of Russia-related sanctions this week, designating 76 people and entities that are either supporting Russia's military industrial base, are members of the Russian government or have other ties to the country’s war against Ukraine. The sanctions, announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office and detailed by Global Affairs Canada, also target 109 vessels that have moved “hydrocarbons” and other goods to earn revenue for Russia’s military and 92 oil tankers transferring Russian oil to third countries.
Countries, especially within the EU, should try to minimize export control compliance and enforcement challenges posed by cloud computing services, researchers said in a report this month.
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The leaders of the House Select Committee on China said Feb. 25 that Congress should pass legislation restricting U.S. outbound investment in China despite a recent move by the Trump administration to address the issue.
The U.S. government is considering requiring a small proportion of exported goods, both containerized and not, and including liquified natural gas, to be carried on U.S.-flagged ships by U.S. operators, with the proportion climbing over time, and, eventually, with U.S.-built ships also required.