India recently proposed an amendment to its standards and requirements for regulations covering “specialty products” covered under its Food Safety and Standards Regulations of 2016, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said Nov. 23. The changes, proposed Nov. 6, would affect regulations concerning health supplements, nutraceuticals, foods for special dietary use or special medical purposes, functional foods and novel foods, the USDA said. World Trade Organization members have 60 days from the notification date to comment on the proposal.

The United Kingdom collected about £700,000 ($935,000) in fines related to export violations between March and September, a Nov. 24 notice said. The fines, which ranged from £1,000 ($1,335) to more than £200,000 ($267,000), were related to unlicensed exports of dual-use goods, military goods and “related activity” controlled under the U.K.’s Export Control Order 2008.

The State Department announced penalties on foreign entities for illegal transfers under the Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Act. The entities transferred items subject to multilateral control lists that contribute to weapons proliferation or missile production, the agency said in a notice released Nov. 24. The entities are: China-based Chengdu Best New Materials Co. Ltd. and Zibo Elim Trade Co.; and Russia-based Aviazapchast, Joint Stock Company Elecon and the Nilco Group. The companies and their subsidiaries are barred from purchasing items controlled on the U.S. Munitions List and by the Arms Export Control Act. The State Department will also suspend any current export licenses used by the companies and bar them from receiving new export licenses for any goods subject to the Export Administration Regulations. Government agencies are barred from entering into procurement contracts with them. The measures took effect Nov. 6.

The Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) for CBP will next meet remotely on Dec. 16, CBP said in a notice. Comments are due in writing by Dec. 15.

The U.S. extended by one year the national emergency authorizing sanctions against Nicaragua, the White House said Nov. 24. President Daniel Ortega’s regime continues to undermine democratic institutions and abuse human rights in the country, the notice said. The emergency would have ended Nov. 27.

Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with the top stories for Nov. 16-20 in case you missed them. You can find any article by searching on the title or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.

The U.S. and its allies should come to an international agreement on reviewing incoming and outgoing Chinese investment to make sure those deals are not enabling human rights abuses or funding Chinese military and technological advances, said H.R. McMaster, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser. The Joe Biden administration will have a chance to secure such an agreement if it pursues more multilateral cooperation with allies, McMaster said.

A group of World Trade Organization members proposed an initiative that would call for a range of measures to increase trade in medical goods, including “restraint” in deploying export restrictions, more efficient customs measures and increased transparency for trade in medical goods, the European Commission said Nov. 23. The 13-member Ottawa Group, which includes the European Union, Japan, Australia, Kenya, Chile, Norway and others, also said WTO members should refrain from imposing tariffs on medical goods as a way to help “facilitate trade” during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative will be submitted to the WTO secretariat this week before heading to the WTO General Council for discussion.

The Canada government issued the following trade-related notices as of Nov. 23 (some may also be given separate headlines):

The International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations issued a “toolkit” for industry to better understand and apply the Federal Maritime Commission’s May rule on detention and demurrage fees (see 2004290037). The toolkit, released last week, summarizes the rule, details its applicability and scope, and analyzes industry objections. The FMC recently announced an investigation into whether ocean carriers are violating regulations on detention and demurrage charges (see 2011200024), after industry said the rule is being ignored (see 2011170041).