Todd Willis, a former U.S. export control official, has joined KPMG's export controls and sanctions consulting practice, the firm announced this week. Willis was the director of the BIS Munitions Control Division before serving as the deputy director of the Export Enforcement Coordination Center during 2016-18. He was most recently a global trade adviser with manufacturing company Caterpillar.
The European Automobile Manufacturers Association said it's "deeply concerned" about potential disruptions to European vehicle manufacturing stemming from a trade dispute over Chinese-owned Dutch semiconductor firm Nexperia, especially "if the interruption of Nexperia chips supplies cannot be immediately resolved."
The success of the Trump administration's AI export plan depends on how fast the U.S. can export its AI technology around the world and whether the project allows the U.S. to strengthen relationships with allies, said Pablo Chavez, an adjunct senior fellow with the Center for a New American Security's Technology and National Security Program.
U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack called on Congress on Oct. 20 to repeal the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, saying the 2019 law “served its moral purpose against the previous, treacherous [Bashar] Assad regime but now suffocates a nation seeking to rebuild.”
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved several bills by voice vote Oct. 22 that could lead to additional sanctions on China and Russia.
Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., introduced a bill Oct. 21 that would impose property-blocking sanctions on Nigerian officials who permit or promote the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities. His legislation, which was referred to the House Foreign Affairs and Judiciary committees, is a companion to a Senate bill that Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, introduced in September (see 2509120001).
The U.K. on Oct. 22 sanctioned a range of people and an entity for their ties to illegal migration to the country, including members of Balkan-based criminal gangs involved in selling fake passports, international financiers for their role in supporting human smugglers, and suppliers of small boat equipment.
The U.K. issued a new general license Oct. 22 authorizing certain transactions with the German subsidiaries of major Russian energy firm PJSC Rosneft Oil: Rosneft Deutschland and RN Refining & Marketing. The license authorizes the "continuation of business" activities with those subsidiaries -- including payments, contracts and the exchange of economic resources -- and any entity they own or control. The license, which expires Oct. 22, 2027, comes about a week after the U.K. sanctioned Rosneft (see 2510160021).
Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with the top stories from last week, in case you missed them. You can find any article by searching for the title or clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.
The Commerce Department this week took its first step to implement a new program aimed at increasing U.S. exports of AI technologies and services, asking industry for feedback on how it should shape the program and how it should ensure that it complies with export controls and other national security regulations.