The U.K. rolled out another round of sanctions on Russia and Belarus in response to their assault on Ukraine, the Department for International Trade announced May 9. The new restrictions target over $2 billion worth of goods, imposing tariffs on over $1.7 billion worth of Russian imports, including platinum and palladium, and export bans on over $307 million worth of goods, in an effort meant to disrupt Russia's manufacturing and heavy machinery industries.
Adding sanctions on Chinese surveillance company Hikvision would represent a “profound escalation” of U.S.-China technology tensions, prompt retaliation from China and further accelerate economic decoupling, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said May 6. The sanctions, reportedly under consideration by the Biden administration (see 2205040009), could “vault Hikvision past Huawei to become the most-sanctioned Chinese tech company,” the think tank said.
The U.S. is discussing with other U.N. Security Council members whether to impose more sanctions on North Korea for its continued ballistic missile testing, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said. Price said the agency isn’t “going to get ahead of any steps that the U.N. might take” but called the missile launches “an affront to multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions.”
The U.K. added 63 entries, including 31 individuals, to its Russia sanctions regime as part of the wave of sanctions on Russia following its military assault on Ukraine, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation announced. The newly listed individuals include media executives, members of the Federal Council of Russia and leading businesspeople. The May 4 notice also amends the entries for Rossiya Segodnya and TV-Novosti, two major Russian media organizations, to add internet services sanctions.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control issued Russia-related general licenses 7A, 26A, 31 and 32 on May 5. The licenses allow emergency overflight and landings of U.S. aircraft in Russia and the filing and prosecution of infringement of various intellectual property protection, as well as the wind-down of transactions with Amsterdam Trade Bank NV and Sberbank subsidiaries through 12:01 a.m. EDT July 12. OFAC also published one new frequently asked question on Afghanistan-related sanctions and updated one FAQ on Ukraine-/Russia-related sanctions.
The EU rolled out its sixth package of sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine that includes an import ban on all Russian oil, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced in a May 4 speech. She said, according to her written remarks prepared for delivery, that the sanctions package also includes designations of high-ranking military officers including those who committed "war crimes" in Bucha and "the inhuman siege" of Mariupol; the removal of Sberbank and two other leading Russian banks from SWIFT, the interbank messaging and payment system; a ban on three Russian state-owned broadcasting companies; and an export ban on accountancy, consultancy and "spin doctor" services.
The Biden administration is planning new human rights sanctions against Chinese surveillance company Hikvision, the Financial Times reported May 4. Although the administration hasn’t yet made a “final decision” on the controls, the move would represent the “first time the U.S. has imposed such sanctions on a big Chinese technology group,” the report said. The move could have “far-reaching consequences” on companies that deal with Hikvision, the report said. Hikvision is the world’s largest surveillance equipment manufacturer. The White House didn’t comment. Hikvision was designated a Chinese military company and added to an investment ban list in 2020 (see 2011130026), and was added to the Entity List in 2019 (see 1910070076).
The U.K.'s Russia sanctions pertaining to internet-related matters went into effect April 29, imposing new restrictions on trade in services, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said. The sanctions move mandates that social media companies must take "reasonable steps" to stop the content generated directly on the platform or shared on the platform by a sanctioned individual. Further, internet service providers, including both fixed and wireless broadband providers, must also take reasonable steps to stop users of the service in the U.K. from accessing websites "provided by a designated person" (i.e., URL blocking). App stores also must take steps to stop users in the U.K. from accessing an application provided by a designated individual.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued Russia-related sanctions General Licence 30. The license authorizes transactions involving new debt or new equity with Gazprom Germania through 12:01 a.m. EDT pn Sept. 30. Prior to the license, Directive 3 had blocked new debt and equity transactions with Gazprom-related entities, and several other Russian financial institutions, after March 26.
The EU will look to ban Russian oil by year's end, placing restrictions on imports gradually until all Russian oil is banned, Bloomberg reported April 30. In addition, the EU will look to sanction more banks from Russia and Belarus, including Sberbank, to be cut off from SWIFT, the international interbank messaging and payment system, Bloomberg reported. The U.S. and U.K. both already have restrictions on Sberbank.