The United Kingdom on July 6 set its first sanctions under its new human rights sanctions regime, designating 49 people and organizations because of human rights violations. The sanctions, which have been hinted at by officials for months and were expected this summer (see 2007020014 and 2001100046), marked the first time the U.K. has issued its own designations for human rights abuses, with additional sanctions expected in the coming months, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said July 6. The U.K. also issued a sanctions guidance for industry and an outline of available licenses, and said European Union sanctions will continue to apply in the U.K. until it leaves the EU on Dec. 31.

Myanmar recently announced an aid package to help industry mitigate the impacts of the COVID-10 pandemic, according to a May 7 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The measures include a waiver for a 2% withholding tax on exports, a reduced “Specific Goods Tax” on medical supplies and the elimination of customs duties on medical imports. The country is also allocating $100 billion for trade financing for domestically produced goods and will prioritize “mobile payment platforms” to encourage online trade.

Importers in Myanmar will be able to temporarily receive online customs clearance for their goods on a “national basis,” according to a May 5 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. Previously, importers could only secure customs clearance at “specified customs entry points” in the country’s capital of Yangon. The expanded use of the Myanmar Automated Cargo Clearance System will allow importers to claim import duty benefits under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Trade in Goods Agreement through May 31, the report said. The temporary basis is in support of businesses during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Myanmar recently announced relaxed measures for traders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including an exemption from paying license fees for imports of medicine, according to an April 22 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. Myanmar also eliminated import license requirements for surgical masks, personal protective equipment, medical beds, ventilators and more, the report said. In addition, car dealers are permitted to extend automotive import permits for up to two months.

Myanmar extended its electronic export and import license application system to cover more items in response to social distancing requirements instituted to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an April 20 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The system will now cover animal feed supplements, vegetable cooking oil, instant coffee, “bird’s nest,” certain pharmaceutical products, “herbal medicines,” veterinary medicines, fertilizers, certain medical devices and certain dairy products, the report said.

Canada, Australia and five other countries issued a joint statement saying they are committed to keeping trade lanes open and stressed the importance of refraining from imposing export controls during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trade should continue to “flow unimpeded” during the pandemic and should not hamper global air and sea ports, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Myanmar, New Zealand and Singapore said in a March 25 joint statement. “We recognise that it is in our mutual interest to ensure that trade lines remain open, including via air and sea freight, to facilitate the flow of goods including essential supplies,” the countries said.

Laos and Myanmar will officially join the single window for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations after completing a pilot phase, according to a Dec. 15 report from Customs News, the mouthpiece for Vietnam’s customs agency. The two countries are expected to connect to the window this month, the report said.

The U.S. will soon start discussions with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations about a possible connection between ASEAN's customs filing platform with the U.S. platform, the State Department said in a Nov. 3 fact sheet about "Expanding the Enduring Partnership" with ASEAN. "The United States and the ASEAN Secretariat announced the opening of negotiations to link the ASEAN 'Single Window' with the U.S. Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) System, which governs all trade in goods entering the United States," State said. "Making this link will further facilitate $272 billion in two-way trade in goods between the United States and ASEAN."

The United Kingdom's Department for International Trade updated its collection of overseas business guides for British exporters by adding links to new market guides, according to an Oct. 28 notice. The new links include market guides to Canada, Colombia, France, Israel, the Ivory Coast, Jordan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Slovenia and Vietnam.

Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with some of the top stories for Sept. 23-27 in case they were missed.