U.S. companies and trade groups applauded a recent Bureau of Industry and Security rule that expanded the agency’s export control exemption for certain standards-setting activities, saying the change will help remove licensing barriers faced by American officials at international bodies working on emerging technology standards. But at least one group asked BIS to continue expanding the exemption to cover a wider set of technologies discussed in standards bodies involving the electronics, telecommunications and aviation industries.
U.K. exporters can now use the country’s new digital export licensing system, Licensing for International Trade (LITE), to apply for standard individual export licenses, the country announced last week. The U.K. had previously been allowing only certain exporters to use the system as a “private beta” ahead of the government’s full translation from its previous export licensing system known as SPIRE, or the Shared Primary Information Resource Environment (see 2408080044). The U.K. said it plans to transition all standard individual export licenses applications off SPIRE in the “coming months.” It also noted that some exporters and export applications may not yet be eligible under LITE, including exports involving certain sanctioned jurisdictions.
European Commission and Chinese officials met last week for a “frank and constructive” discussion about the EU’s countervailing duty investigation on Chinese electric vehicles, the commission said in a Sept. 20 news release. During the talks, EU trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao agreed to “instruct their respective teams to put maximum effort to work towards a mutually agreeable solution” and to continue communicating, but Dombrovskis also stressed that the probe is meant to address oversized Chinese subsidies and complies with all World Trade Organization rules.
A bipartisan group of six House members urged the Biden administration last week to step up enforcement of oil sanctions against Iran to reduce Tehran’s ability to fund terrorism.
The House of Representatives this week might consider a bill to impose property-blocking sanctions on Chinese Communist Party leaders for committing human rights violations, according to a House floor calendar. A House Rules Committee hearing on the Stop CCP Act is scheduled for Sept. 23. The House Foreign Affairs Committee approved the bill by a 28-22 vote in March (see 2403210076).
The U.K.’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation revised identifying information for Ri Pyong Chul under its North Korea sanctions list following a similar move by the U.N. Security Council (see 2409180005). The change lists his position as vice chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea Central Military Commission.
China’s State Council this week passed a set of revised draft regulations for dual-use export controls, according to an unofficial translation of a Sept. 18 report from state-run news agency Xinhua that was posted to the Ministry of Commerce website. The ministry didn’t immediately release more information. Beijing has recently issued new export restrictions for a range of dual-use technologies, including in August when it published new requirements for certain drones, drone parts, infrared imaging equipment and more (see 2407310015).
The Bureau of Industry and Security is drafting a proposed rule that could revise its space-related export controls, including by adding new License Exception Commercial Space Activities (CSA).
The chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere urged the Biden administration Sept. 20 to take further steps to cut the oil revenue the Venezuelan government has available to it to repress political dissent.
Companies should continue to expect an “aggressive” U.S. sanctions enforcement landscape heading into next year, and should consider increasing the amount of due diligence they undertake if they haven’t already, panelists said during an event last week about sanctions compliance.