The Bureau of Industry and Security fined a California semiconductor developer and supplier $4.25 million for violating U.S. export controls against Huawei, saying it illegally forwarded more than 1,500 power controllers, smart power stages and related accessories to the Chinese company without a license.
The European Commission and Ukraine reached an agreement in principle on a modernized trade relationship following a review of the EU-Ukraine Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, the commission announced. The new deal centers on an "alignment of Ukraine to relevant EU production standards," a "robust safeguard clause" and improved trade flows, it said.
Chinese surveillance technology company Hikvision criticized an order by the Canadian government directing it to stop operating in the country (see 2506300022), saying it was based on “unfounded allegations of national security concerns.” The company said the Canadian order was based on the fact that Hikvision is headquartered in China.
Several Republican and Democratic lawmakers welcomed President Donald Trump’s executive order this week to remove certain financial sanctions on Syria (see 2506300055).
Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, introduced a resolution June 27 urging the use of “targeted economic sanctions” against entities and individuals in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo who are “corrupt, obstructing peace, perpetrating violence, or committing human rights abuses.”
Rep. Sheri Biggs, R-S.C., introduced a bill June 27 that would direct the State Department to review annually whether any defense exports available through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program but not the Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) licensing process should become eligible for the more flexible DCS process.
The U.K. on July 1 amended three entries on its Russia sanctions list by updating the listings for two people and one entity. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation updated the spellings for the entries of two individuals: Yegor Yurievich Karasev, executive at RNCO Banking Zone, and Anatoliy Moiseevich Cherner, deputy director for general-logistics and sales for Gazprom Neft. OFSI also updated the listing for the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control removed sanctions from Gold Miles Ltd., a Hong Kong-based company designated in 2023. The firm was sanctioned for being owned by Ireland national John Desmond Hanafin, owner of Huriya Private FZE LLE, which OFAC sanctioned for helping to move Russian financial assets into the United Arab Emirates. OFAC didn't release more information about the delisting.
President Donald Trump this week ordered his administration to evaluate existing financial restrictions against Cuba to help “channel funds toward the Cuban people and away” from the Cuban government.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned Russia-headquartered Aeza Group, a hosting services provider that enables cybercriminal activity, along with several affiliated companies and people. OFAC said Aeza Group is a "bulletproof" hosting services provider that sell access to specialized servers and other infrastructure to help ransomware actors, personal information stealers, and drug vendors evade law enforcement.