The European Commission published its annual report on the European Union’s trade agreements in 2019, providing statistics on trade deals with 65 EU trading partners and the sectors that benefited. The Nov. 12 report said the EU’s deals with Canada and Japan “especially boosted trade” last year, helping Europe's agricultural and industrial exporters. “At a time when the European economy is in crisis, international trade is more essential than ever,” Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said, and the EU is taking “many steps” to “really take advantage of our trade agreements.”
Brazil recently issued a “normative instruction” meant to “facilitate” imports of genetically modified corn and soybeans from the U.S., although it remains unclear how much the instruction will benefit U.S. exporters, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a Nov. 9 report. Brazil’s move, made Nov. 3, changes what information importers must provide on the import licenses for the products intended to be used in animal feed or for veterinary use, but does not establish approval for GMO corn and soybean products that are not already approved by Brazil’s National Technical Biosafety Commission, FAS said. “As such, asynchrony in biotech approvals may still present a hurdle to U.S. corn and soybean exports to Brazil,” the report said.
China will allow imports of Tanzanian soybeans, China’s General Administration of Customs announced Nov. 11, according to an unofficial translation. The announcement outlines inspection and quarantine requirements for the imports.
The State Department approved three potential military sales to the United Arab Emirates worth about $23.4 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Nov. 10. Under the first sale, the UAE would get MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft and related equipment worth nearly $3 billion. The principal contractors will be General Atomic Aeronautical Systems, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, L3Harris and Leonardo SpA. The second sale includes F-35 Joint Strike Fighters and related equipment worth about $10.4 billion. The prime contractors will be Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney Military Engines. The third sale includes missiles, bombs and other munitions worth about $10 billion. Raytheon and Northrop Grumman Information Systems will be the principal contractors.
President Donald Trump issued an executive order Nov. 12 that will block Americans from transacting in “publicly traded securities” or investing in Chinese firms that have ties to the Chinese military when it takes effect Jan. 11, 2021. The EO bans investments in a range of Chinese companies included in lists published by the Defense Department earlier this year, including Huawei, Hikvision and other prominent Chinese technology companies (see 2008300001 and 2006250024). U.S. people or companies violating the order could be subject to restrictions or sanctions under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, said the EO, which will be imposed by the Treasury Department after consultation with other agencies. The White House said agencies may soon issue “rules and regulations” to implement the order, including procedures for license applications.
The Bureau of Industry and Security withdrew a proposed rule from the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs related to its strategic trade authorization (STA) license exception. The rule, which was received by OIRA Aug. 27 (see 2008280022) and withdrawn Nov. 12, would have clarified the “availability” and expanded restrictions on availability of the license exception under the Export Administration Regulations. A BIS spokesperson said the agency is still considering proposing the rule. “The rule was withdrawn for further informal interagency consultation,” the spokesperson said.
Danish state prosecutors charged a Danish holding company, its subsidiary and its director for violating sanctions against Syria, a Nov. 12 EU Sanctions blog post said. The company, which Denmark does not name, allegedly sold 172,000 metric tons of jet fuel to Russian companies, which delivered the fuel to Syria, a government news release said, according to an unofficial translation. The sales violated European Union sanctions and involved about 647 million Danish kroner, the equivalent of about $100 million.
The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing new reporting requirements for two chemicals under significant new use rules, it said in a notice released Nov. 13. The proposed SNURs would require notification to EPA at least 90 days in advance of a new use by importers, manufacturers or processors. Importers of chemicals subject to these proposed SNURs would need to certify their compliance with the SNUR requirements should these proposed rules be finalized, EPA said. Exporters of these chemicals would become subject to export notification requirements. Comments on the proposed SNURs are due by Dec. 16. The SNURs would cover the following chemical substances:
The U.S. extended by one year national emergencies authorizing sanctions against Iran and Burundi, the White House said Nov. 12. U.S. relations with Iran “have not yet normalized,” so the national emergency will continue in effect through Nov. 14, 2021, it said. Although Burundi has shown progress toward a “peaceful transfer of power,” the U.S. has “not seen sufficient evidence that the situation is resolved,” the White House said, continuing the national emergency through Nov. 22, 2021.
The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation amended 16 entries under its Venezuela sanctions regime, a Nov. 13 notice said. The notice updates identifying information for military and government officials under the Nicolas Maduro regime.