The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices as of April 29 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):

China adopted new cybersecurity review measures that may impact purchases of foreign technology, according to an unofficial translation of an April 27 notice from China’s Cyberspace Administration. The rules, which will take effect June 1, require certain “critical information infrastructure operators” to undergo a review when importing goods that may impact China’s national security, the notice said. That review includes the submission of a “declaration form,” an “analysis report” on the impact of the purchase on China’s national security, procurement documents and “other materials,” China said. The review will “generally” be completed in 45 days. The rules could place foreign technology products at a “disadvantage” in the Chinese market, according to an April 27 report in The Wall Street Journal. Industry is also worried the review procedure could justify excluding U.S. businesses from Chinese supply chains, the report said.

The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls scheduled an April 30 update of its Defense Export Control and Compliance System to allow license drafters to select the empowered official to sign and submit a license, the DDTC said April 29. The update will return all licenses in “awaiting signature” status to “draft” status. License drafters should open the license and select empowered official “to return the license to the 'Awaiting Signature' status,” the DDTC said. Due to the update, the agency said it expected DECCS to be unavailable to industry from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. EDT April 30.

Maltese authorities charged five men for violating European Union sanctions on Libya, according to an April 25 notice from the Malta Police Force. The arrests, which resulted from “weeks of investigations,” came after the men allegedly used a Malta-registered company to illegally export two ships to Libya. The men pleaded not guilty.

The U.S. renewed a waiver that authorizes Iraqi imports of Iranian gas and electricity, according to an April 26 Reuters report. The waiver was authorized for a “shorter period” than previous authorizations, the report said, and the State Department will reassess whether to renew the waiver after it expires May 26.

The United Kingdom amended a sanctions entry for Martin Koumtamadji, according to an April 29 notice from the U.K. Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation. Koumtamadji, the leader of an anti-government militia in the Central African Republic (see 2004220011), is still subject to an asset freeze.

Scarcity of medical products for developing countries is likely to worsen as the world’s major economies -- including the U.S., India and Germany -- continue to place export restrictions on virus-fighting goods, according to an April 28 United Nations notice. The UN said nearly 80 countries have imposed an export restriction on medical supplies, creating import obstacles for poor and vulnerable countries, which depend on “the steady and consistent availability” of these items from the world’s major producers. The UN urged nations to “temper” their “instinct” to act out of self-interest, saying export restrictions will be “detrimental to everyone in the long run.”

The Federal Maritime Commission will adopt a final rule to give industry guidance on how it assesses the “reasonableness” of detention and demurrage charges, the agency said on April 28. The rule has garnered new attention due to charges caused by COVID-19-related shipping delays (see 2003190041) and is meant to give industry clarity on how FMC will consider whether detention and demurrage policies incentivize the movement of cargo or whether they are unjustified. The rule will become effective upon its publication in the Federal Register.

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing “significant disruption” for the Wassenaar Arrangement, leading to the cancelation of at least one meeting and creating uncertainty about whether the group can remotely vote on new export controls, two Commerce Department officials said. Wassenaar was forced to cancel its April Experts Group meeting -- which normally addresses issues related to its lists of controlled items -- and is unsure if global travel restrictions will force cancellations of future meetings in June and its annual plenary session in December.

The Commerce Department has drafted a regulation that will address the ability of U.S. companies to participate in 5G standards setting bodies involving Huawei, a top Commerce official said. The rule is still being discussed within Commerce and has not yet been cleared for interagency review, Matt Borman, Commerce’s deputy assistant secretary for export administration, said during an April 29 Information Systems Technical Advisory Committee meeting.