The U.K.'s Export Control Joint Unit is asking holders of Open General Export Licenses to submit their annual reports about trade made under those licenses during 2025, it said in an email. Exporters submitting those "annual returns" should verify that the transactions were made during the correct reporting period (Jan. 1, 2025-Dec. 31, 2025) and that they "surrender any licences no longer in use after submitting returns." The agency added that it's updating its open license returns guidance next year.
The U.K. published more guidance about its shift next year to a single list for all sanctions designations (see 2510140023). The country's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation issued a new format guide for the new list, guidance with information on how businesses should prepare for the change, and a recording of a webinar about the change. OFSI said businesses should make sure they "understand the impact of the closure" of the agency's OFSI consolidated list, and said companies should switch to the new U.K. Sanctions List "as your primary source of designations data now, and in any case no later than 28 January 2026."
Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and John Kennedy, R-La., have urged the Trump administration to pressure the EU to repeal a new methane mandate that they say could hurt U.S. oil and gas exports.
A U.S. software company is asking the Commerce Department to rethink the way export controls are imposed and enforced over AI technologies, arguing for an automated approach that it said can prevent AI systems from being used in ways that violate U.S. licensing rules.
The Council of the European Union sanctioned two members of Russia's judiciary for committing serious human rights violations and undermining democracy and the rule of law in Russia, the council announced Dec. 22. It said Dmitry Gordeev, a judge of the Moscow City Court, has "repeatedly issued politically motivated rulings against opposition figures and human rights defenders," and Lyudmila Balandina, a prosecutor, has pursued cases against critics of the Russian regime.
Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., introduced a resolution Dec. 17 urging the Trump administration to seize “shadow fleet” vessels that transport sanctioned Russian oil.
The Treasury, Commerce and State departments released new guidance this week about the Syria-related sanctions and export control relief that's available to companies and other organizations and what Syria-related restrictions still remain (see 2508280029, 2505230073 and 2506160030). The three-page document is aimed at encouraging "U.S. private sector and foreign partner reengagement in Syria."
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Companies in the U.S. and the EU are increasingly being asked by Chinese business partners to certify that they’re not exporting rare earths in violation of Chinese export restrictions, including in some cases through post-shipment audits, lawyers said.
Benjamin Hawk has left his position as acting chief of DOJ's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, he announced on LinkedIn last week. He had been serving in the role since March 2022.