The Satellite Industry Association named Kirsten Shumway of Boeing chair of its export control working group, it said in a press release. SIA also named as its treasurer Ross Vincenti, who oversees “legal matters along with export and trade compliance” at Intelsat.

The United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade amended 14 open general export licenses and one open general transshipment license, and revoked the OGEL for Turkey, according to a Jan. 17 notice. The amendments followed changes to the European Union’s dual-use export control list (see 1910210031)

A German court sentenced a Russian citizen to prison for illegally exporting military technology to Russia, according to a Jan. 9 report from Deutsche Welle. The citizen, identified as Vladamir D., was sentenced to seven years in prison after violating European Union sanctions by selling about $2 million worth of goods to “military recipients in Russia,” the report said. The goods are used for “military missile-related technology,” the report said, and included two “hot isostatic presses,” which are used in space-related technology. The man was also contracted to export 33 pounds of “decaborane chemicals” to a “military recipient” in Russia, the report said, and successfully sent an undisclosed amount. Authorities said the man “forged documents and used fake recipients” to evade Germany’s export controls, according to Deutsche Welle.

The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices as of Jan. 17 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):

Canada’s tariff rate quota for barley products will be filled on Jan. 30, the Canada Border Services Agency said in an emailed alert. “Consequently, January 30, 2020 (at 11:59 pm local time) will be the cut-off date for accounting for imports of all barley products classified under a ’within access commitment’ tariff item number,” CBSA said. “All imports of barley products accounted for after the cut-off date and time will be classified at the ‘over access commitment’ tariff item number, even if they were imported, (or imported and released), before the quota has been filled,” it said. Even after the general TRQ limit is reached, some barley products that qualify for trade agreements with the U.S., Mexico, Chile, Peru, Costa Rica or the European Union “will continue to be assessed at the ‘within access’ lower rate of duty,” CBSA said.

Singapore Customs’ TradeNet will undergo system maintenance from 4 a.m. to 12 p.m. local time on Feb. 2 and Feb. 9, Singapore said in a Jan 15 notice. The agency is advising users to avoid submitting applications during this time. This is in addition to usual maintenance on Sundays from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m.

Singapore Customs will transition from hard copies to emails for all correspondence relating to certificate of origin matters, the agency said in a Jan. 17 notice. This includes correspondence relating to the agency’s “circular or notices,” manufacturer registration or renewal letters, verifications of cost statements and letters of acknowledgement. Singapore is advising companies to update their contract information, particularly their email addresses, so they can continue correspondence with Singapore Customs. The agency will transition to emails by Feb. 15 and will “cease acceptance” of hard copy manufacturing cost statements by March 1, the notice said.

China’s General Administration of Customs launched a “Smart Customs” initiative to incorporate “new-generation technologies to achieve smarter customs control,” according to a Jan. 16 press release. The initiative aims to better connect “all parties in the international supply chain,” the press release said.

The phase one “economic and trade agreement” the U.S. and China signed Jan. 15 will take effect in 30 days and can be terminated by either country with 60 days' written notice, the deal's text said. Phase one is “a big step toward normalizing our trading relationship with China,” the Consumer Technology Association said, but “market uncertainty remains until we see permanent tariff removal.” The National Retail Federation also welcomed phase one but said phase two “can’t come soon enough.”

The tariffs on billions of dollars worth of European goods because the World Trade Organization found the EU illegally subsidized Airbus puts Europe in a position where it will need to take similar action, assuming the WTO rules that state tax credits for Boeing also distorted trade. “This is where I don't want to be,” European Union Commissioner Phil Hogan said during a press roundtable with reporters late Jan. 16.