A recent rise in tariffs, export controls and other trade actions will lead to rising prices in semiconductor supply chains, said Sree Ramaswamy, former senior adviser to former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
Rep. Tom Kean, R-N.J., reintroduced a bill March 31 that would require the administration to develop a strategy to block China and other “foreign adversaries” from buying goods and technologies to build, maintain or operate undersea cables.
House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., reintroduced a bill April 3 to sanction Haitian political and economic elites involved in criminal activity.
Reps. Gerald Connolly, D-Va., and Joe Wilson, R-S.C., reintroduced a sanctions bill April 3 aimed at curbing North Korea’s support for Russia’s war machine.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s new task force on improving how the government handles foreign military sales (FMS) and export controls (see 2501220086 and 2502260047) held its first formal meeting April 2.
Rep. Bill Keating, D-Mass., reintroduced a bill March 31 aimed at preventing Iran from obtaining U.S. and allied technology that could be used to make unmanned aircraft.
Japan last week announced new export controls on semiconductor-related items and other sensitive technologies, according to an unofficial translation of a Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry notice. The items will need export licenses when destined to certain countries “if there is a risk that they will be used for the development of conventional weapons, etc.,” Japan said. Exemptions will apply for certain exports of goods involving “allied nations' forces for joint training” activities.
The White House last week released a summary of the April 1 reports it received from U.S. agencies on President Donald Trump’s America-first trade policy agenda (see 2501210023). The summary includes brief mentions of export controls and investment restrictions.
The U.K. Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation released a threat assessment about possible sanctions violations by legal services providers, noting that since February 2022, the legal services sector has accounted for the second-highest number of suspected breach report submissions to OFSI. Legal services accounts for 16% of all submissions, behind first-place financial services with 65% of submissions.
Singapore said it’s boosting enforcement against companies that may be using the country to circumvent foreign nations’ export controls on advanced chips, warning businesses that it may take legal action or impose other penalties.