Russia has “secretly” been using India as an alternative market to acquire export-controlled dual-use technologies and has explored building facilities in the country to obtain components for its war against Ukraine, the Financial Times reported Sept. 4. Plans drawn up by the Russian government show the country aimed to use “significant reserves” of rupees collected by Russian banks from oil sales to India to help with the effort, and considered “pumping investment into Russo-Indian electronics development and production facilities,” the report said.
The State Department completed a round of interagency review for a final rule that would amend restrictions against Cyprus under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. The rule, sent to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Aug. 29 (see 2409030006) and completed Sept. 5, could build on past measures to relax export restrictions for certain defense goods and services involving the country (see 2309130028).
Export controls, sanctions and investment screenings remain among the top challenges faced by U.S. companies doing business in China, according to an annual member survey released by the U.S.-China Business Council on Sept. 6.
The banking industry’s increasing overcompliance with U.S. sanctions is leading to an uptick in unnecessary financing delays and transaction cancellations, nongovernmental organizations told the Treasury Department. They said the issues are causing hurdles for humanitarian groups trying to deliver aid abroad and raising discrimination concerns among foreigners living in the U.S.
Morgan Finkelstein is leaving her role as spokesperson for the Treasury Department's Terrorism and Financial Intelligence office to become the national security spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, Finkelstein announced this week on LinkedIn. She has been at Treasury since 2021, where she has served as the agency's senior spokesperson for sanctions issues overseen by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, anti-money laundering and counterterrorism financing matters for the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and more.
The State Department is seeking public comments on an information collection involving registrations with the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. Any person who manufactures, exports, temporarily imports or furnishes defense services, or who participates in certain defense brokering activities, must register certain information with DDTC. Comments are due by Nov. 4.
Eight House Democrats urged Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Sept. 5 to immediately bring up bipartisan Venezuela legislation on the House floor when Congress returns from its August recess next week.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, announced Sept. 5 that officials from four large U.S. computing chip manufacturers will testify at a hearing next week on Russia’s efforts to evade U.S. export controls.
Switzerland on Sept. 4 indefinitely extended its humanitarian exemption from its sanctions regime on Syria. The exemption was first implemented by the EU in February 2023 on a temporary basis after an earthquake created a "grave humanitarian crisis" in the nation. Under the exemption, sanctions don't apply to "activities that are necessary for the humanitarian work of international organizations and some categories of humanitarian actors," the Swiss Federal Council said. The EU in May renewed the exemption for one year (see 2405280013).
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls this week updated its guidance and frequently asked questions for U.S. persons providing defense services abroad.