The Bureau of Industry and Security has drafted and is preparing to soon publish an interim final rule that will introduce a 50% rule for parties on the Entity List and Military End-User List, according to a copy of the rule seen by Export Compliance Daily. The rule would impose the same export license requirements as the parent company for any affiliate owned 50% or more by an entity on those two lists, and it includes a 60-day temporary general license to authorize certain transactions with some non-listed entities before the new restrictions apply.

A Federal Maritime Commission small-claims officer on Sept. 22 dismissed a complaint against ocean freight forwarder Sefco Export Management Co. and non-vessel-operating common carrier Schumacher Cargo Logistics, saying Dina Piteira of Portugal failed to show that the firms deliberately mishandled her shipment of two electric vehicles.

The U.K. this week published two new guidance documents that track exceptions and previous amendments to its Russia sanctions regime. The guidance allows users to search through a list of all Russia sanctions exceptions that the U.K. has introduced, as well as a list of the "statutory instruments" that have made changes to those sanctions and descriptions of the changes made.

China is launching a foreign-trade barrier probe on Mexico after the latter country announced plans this month to increase tariffs from certain non-free-trade-agreement countries, including a decision that will reportedly raise tariffs on Chinese cars from 20% to 50%. The investigation also will look into Mexico's duty increases for imports of Chinese textiles, clothing, plastics, steel, home appliances, aluminum, toys, furniture, footwear, leather goods, paper and cardboard, motorcycles and glass.

China on Sept. 25 added three U.S. companies to its Unreliable Entity List for arms sales to Taiwan and three others to its Export Control List because they “endanger” Chinese national security, the Ministry of Commerce said.

President Donald Trump on Sept. 25 signed an executive order that a White House official said brings "into effect" the U.S.-China agreement that will eventually bring TikTok under the control of American investors (see 2509220010). Trump, speaking to reporters, said he had a "very good talk" with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and "he gave us the go-ahead" to approve the deal. "We have American investors taking it over," Trump said, adding that technology company Oracle will "play a very big role in terms of security, safety and everything else."

Rep. Eugene Vindman, D-Va., and Delegate James Moylan, R-Guam, introduced a bill this month that would require the executive branch to report to Congress annually on China’s semiconductor manufacturing capabilities, including whether U.S. and allied export controls are curbing the development of that equipment.

Officials from the U.K. and Bermuda issued a joint statement this week committing to boost cooperation on sanctions, and the U.K. agreed to provide Bermuda with up to 300,000 pounds, or about $400,000, this year "for new initiatives to enhance Bermudian sanctions capacity and capability."

The U.K. this week sanctioned a British band and its label for counterterrorism reasons after they were found guilty of terrorism-related charges. The country sanctioned the musical group Embers of an Empire and its production company, Rampage Productions, for "promoting and encouraging terrorism via its dissemination of music whose content promotes and encourages terrorism." The U.K. also said they have "made funds available" to parties "involved in terrorism."

The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned five people and one entity for helping North Korea's government generate revenue for its weapons and missile programs, including through weapons sales to the Myanmar military.