The EPA has published a final rule, effective July 8, imposing import certification and export notification requirements for methylene chloride, a chemical that has killed those using it as a paint stripper and for bathtub refinishing.
The U.K. High Court of Justice on May 3 said funds are subject to sanctions when a party can prove that the funds are being "in fact controlled" by a sanctioned party, not when there's "only reasonable cause to suspect" they are controlled by a sanctioned party, according to the Global Sanctions blog.
The Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network issued a new advisory this week to alert industry about the ways Iran-backed terrorist organizations are illegally circumventing or using the international financial system to raise, move and spend money. The advisory also includes a list of red flags to help banks and other financial institutions catch suspicious activity that may be linked to those groups.
The Bureau of Industry and Security this week added 37 Chinese technology companies, manufacturing firms, research institutions and others to the Entity List for trying to acquire U.S.-export controlled items for China’s military or quantum technology capabilities, shipping controlled items to Russia, or for their ties to a “High Altitude Balloon” that the U.S. shot down last year.
The U.K. on May 8 updated its financial sanctions FAQs to reflect that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office operates an "E-Alert service," in addition to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation's E-Alert service. The FCDO's service provides "updates on designations, important changes, policy changes, and press releases." A subscription to the alerts may be requested here.
The U.K. on May 8 amended one entry under its Russia sanctions regime, updating the listing for Said Mikhailovich Gutseriev. The amended listing now shows that Gutseriev worked as a director of various Russian financial services and energy extractive companies, which operate in "sectors of strategic significance to the Government of Russia."
China on May 7 voiced its opposition to the U.S. reportedly revoking the export licenses that Intel and Qualcomm use to sell certain semiconductors to Huawei (see 2405070081). The Ministry of Commerce said the move violates World Trade Organization commitments, according to an unofficial translation.
Florida resident Yuksel Senbol pleaded guilty on May 8 to conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act, violating ECRA and violating the Arms Export Control Act, among other crimes, for her role in fraudulently procuring contracts to supply the Defense Department with "critical military components," DOJ announced.
The Bureau of Industry and Security needs more help from companies to stop Russia from acquiring export controlled semiconductors and other microelectronics, Matthew Axelrod, the agency’s top export enforcement official, said May 8 during a semiconductor summit hosted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. The joint Commerce Department-DOJ Disruptive Technology Strike Force has helped the government pool resources to investigate and prosecute export control violations, “but even this impactful coordinated effort across government enforcement agencies is, by itself, insufficient to meet the national security moment we’re facing,” Axelrod said. “[F]rankly, we need everyone to do more.”
The Bureau of Industry and Security will make several “conforming and clarifying” changes to the Export Administration Regulations to fix and update country and destination references, remove “obsolete” references, correct inadvertent errors and make other minor revisions.