The European Union extended its sanctions against people or companies undermining the sovereignty of Ukraine, until Sept. 15, according to a March 13 notice. The EU also amended entries for 161 people and 11 entities listed under the sanctions regimes, and deleted entries for two deceased people.

The European Commission announced export controls on shipments of certain protective medical equipment, which will now require authorizations before being sent to third countries, according to a March 15 press release. Several European countries also announced travel restrictions due to the coronavirus, including Germany and Poland, which may impact supply chains and cargo shipments.

The June 8-11 ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization will not go forward, the director general of the WTO told members March 12. The coronavirus pandemic makes it not feasible, he said. A worldwide agreement on fisheries subsidies was supposed to come together in time for the meeting.

Germany updated its recent export ban on medical protective equipment used to prevent “infectious diseases,” the country said in a March 12 notice, according to an unofficial translation. The export ban applies to goods such as “protective goggles, respiratory masks, protective coats, protective suits and gloves” in an effort to ensure the country has adequate supplies during the coronavirus outbreak. Export exceptions are only available “under strict conditions,” the country said.

The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices as of March 13 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):

Canada's House of Commons approved the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement -- called CUSMA in Canada -- by unanimous consent March 13, before adjourning until April 20 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Canadian Senate passed it less than an hour later. Royal Assent, the equivalent of a presidential signature in the U.S., followed shortly, and the Senate adjourned as well. Now, all three countries must continue to work on uniform regulations so that they can certify the treaty is ready to enter into force. Efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease COVID-19 may slow that process, because the countries also have to evaluate the progress toward fulfilling commitments, such as setting up labor courts in Mexico and getting new rules of origin processes in place. Once that certification is issued, NAFTA will be replaced on the first day of the third month after the announcement.

China’s Guangzhou customs operation recently introduced new measures for online customs facilitation by “administrative counterparts” as the coronavirus outbreak continues, according to a March 13 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The counterparts may apply for “various” customs approvals online and can use the district’s “Internet-plus Customs special government service platform” to process 15 service items, including “scientific research equipment sharing, and cargo manifest amendment and withdrawal,” the report said. They may also use the agency’s WeChat platform to complete other customs service applications.

China’s Commerce Ministry held calls with the American Chamber of Commerce in China and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China last week to discuss trade and business issues related to the coronavirus outbreak, according to an unofficial translation of a March 13 ministry notice. China said the calls, which included more than 200 member companies, were intended to address any problems for companies facing delays in resuming production and trade in China, which the ministry said should resume “as soon as possible.” The sides also discussed China’s economy, “corporate assistance policies, labor shortages, inadequate epidemic prevention materials, and logistics.”

The State Department issued notifications of proposed export licenses to Congress as required by the Arms Export Control Act, the agency said in a notice in the March 16 Federal Register. The notifications include details about each proposed export license, including the goods involved, the destination and the value of the shipment.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a bill March 12 that would sanction Huawei and other companies producing 5G technology if they “engage in economic or industrial espionage,” according to a news release. The bill would place those companies on the Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals List, which blocks parties from accessing the U.S. financial system. The House bill was introduced by Reps. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., and Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., and the Senate bill was co-led by Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.