The United Nations Security Council Committee added one entry to its ISIL (Da’esh) and Al‑Qaida Sanctions List, according to a Feb. 4 notice. The UN added Mali resident Amadou Koufa, founder of the West African terrorist group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation issued a Feb. 5 notice reflecting the change. The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated JNIM in 2018 and has sanctioned officials working for the group (see 1907160030).

The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation released its quarterly report to Parliament on Feb. 4. The report contains actions related to the U.K.’s terrorist asset-freezing sanctions made between July 1 and Sept. 30, including additions, removals and licensing statistics.

The European Commission released a Feb. 4 statement on U.S. sanctions and measures against the Nord Stream 2 pipeline (see 1912230054), saying the European Union does not recognize the “extraterritorial application of U.S. sanctions.” The European Union “regularly” discusses sanctions issues with the U.S. government and Congress, Commission Vice President Josep Borrell said, but U.S. extraterritorial sanctions are “contrary to international law.” Borrell added that “EU policies and practices should not be determined by the threat or imposition of third country sanctions” and “the EU opposes the imposition of sanctions against EU companies conducting legitimate business in accordance with EU law.” Borrell said the EC’s position on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is “well known,” and any companies that build the pipeline “should know that they will need to be operated in line with EU law.”

The Commerce Department is seeking comments on an information collection related to the “Technology Letter of Explanation,” Commerce said in a notice. The letter provides a description of the technology proposed for export to allow the Bureau of Industry and Security technical staff to evaluate the impact on the national security and foreign policy of approving a license. Comments are due April 6.

Trump administration officials will meet this month in an attempt to resolve differences in the matter of restricting technology exports to China and Huawei, according to a Feb. 4 Reuters report. But Commerce is also discussing expanding its export control jurisdiction to a broader array of foreign sales containing U.S. goods that go beyond exports to just Huawei, according to a person familiar with the situation. “That is the one that would be a nuclear bomb for business,” the person said, adding that Commerce is discussing expanding its export control jurisdiction to “the maximum possible point.”

China’s Ministry of Finance said it will halve retaliatory tariffs on $75 billion worth of U.S. imports beginning Feb. 14, according to an unofficial translation of a news release. Tariffs on some U.S. goods will fall from 10 percent to 5 percent, China said, while others will drop from 5 percent to 2.5 percent. The tariffs stem from China’s Sept. 1 tranche of retaliatory tariffs. China released additional details about the cuts in guidance from the State Council Tariff Commission.

The World Customs Organization issued the following release on commercial trade and related matters:​​

Nigeria introduced a series of amended tax laws, including new value-added tax rates, according to a Jan. 31 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The changes, which were introduced Jan. 13, will increase VATs on certain companies from 5 percent to 7.5 percent, the report said, but will reduce VATs and other taxes on smaller firms. In addition, companies with “an annual turnover” of less than $69,180 will be exempt from VATs. The changes are aimed at stimulating growth of small and medium-sized companies, the report said.

Mauritius has imposed a temporary ban on imports of live animals, live fish and products of animal origin from China, it said in a press release. Implemented Feb. 3 in response to concerns over the coronavirus outbreak, the ban covers live animals and fish; chilled, frozen and dried seafood including fish products such as fish and oyster sauce; chilled, frozen and dried meat; wool; animal hair/bristles; and animal feed including fish feed.

Israel will conduct individual customs screening on all imported packages sent through the Israel Postal Company valued at more than $75, beginning Feb. 15, according to a Feb. 3 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The screening process will be similar to the screening procedures required for imports to private courier companies, the report said. The move was made in response to a petition from Israeli business and trade organizations, which said private firms are unfairly subjected to import requirements not applied to the postal service. Private firms are required to declare the values of their imports while the country’s postal service was only required to “declare the value based on its samplings of imported items,” the report said. While the postal agency has been working “for some time” on the change with Israeli customs agencies, the “tight deadline” will likely be a “serious challenge” for the postal service, which is “already struggling to keep pace with delivery schedules,” the HKTDC said. The postal service may need to outsource some of its operations to the private sector, the report said, which could lead to increased delivery costs for foreign online vendors.