New U.S. restrictions and prohibitions on remittances to Cuba will “directly harm the Cuban people” and are a “direct attack” on family remittances, the Cuban government said Oct. 28. “Doing so in the middle of a pandemic corroborates the US government’s cynicism, opportunism and contempt for the Cuban people,” the Cuban government said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control amended and reissued its Yemen Sanctions regulations to include more guidance, general licenses and statements of licensing policy, OFAC said in a final rule released Oct. 28. The rule, which takes effect Oct. 29, provides a more “comprehensive” set of regulations aimed to “provide further guidance to the public.” The rule mainly adds clarifications, new definitions and specifies when certain transactions are authorized by general licenses. New general licenses now included in the regulations authorize certain transactions relating to “investment and reinvestment of certain funds, payments for legal services from funds originating outside the United States, and official activities of international organizations,” OFAC said.
The Bureau of Industry and Security revised its license review policy for items controlled for national security reasons and destined for China, Venezuela and Russia (see 2010230007), the agency said in a final rule released Oct. 28. The rule, which takes effect Oct. 29, said BIS and other “reviewing agencies” will determine whether those exports will make a “material contribution” to the weapons systems of the countries before approving the shipments.
The United Kingdom on Oct. 27 updated its guidance on the transition of its trade remedies policy after the U.K. leaves the European Union Jan. 1, 2021. The U.K. said it will not maintain EU antidumping measures on imports of certain “steel road wheels” from China because the measure “no longer meets the criteria of the Call for Evidence.”
India revised its procedures and criteria for approving export applications for certain disposable gloves, the country’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in an Oct. 27 notice. The notice outlines a quota for October and November 2020 for exports of “Nitrile/NBR gloves,” and details how traders can submit their applications and what conditions they must meet. India said the export licenses will be valid for three months. The country recently lifted some export restrictions on the gloves (see 2010220009).
The State Department approved a potential military sale to Taiwan worth about $2.37 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Oct. 26. The sale includes 100 Harpoon Coastal Defense Systems and related equipment including missiles, containers, transporter units, radar trucks and spare parts. The principal contractor will be Boeing. The notification of the proposed sale came the same day China announced sanctions on three U.S. defense companies for their involvement in other military sales to Taiwan (see 2010260017).
The National Association of Export Management Companies will end its operations after its board of directors voted to dissolve the association, the group said in an Oct. 27 email. The New York-based international trade association did not provide further details. “We thank all of you who have continued to support our efforts throughout our 55+ years of existence,” the email said. “Unfortunately the time has come to say goodbye.”
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls on Oct. 26 released the presentation slides from the Defense Trade Advisory Group's Oct. 22 meeting. The slides contain recommendations and feedback from the DTAG working groups on DDTC operations. During the meeting, a State Department official said the agency is “very close” to publishing its first rule to reorganize the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (see 2010220049).
The Bureau of Industry and Security revoked export privileges for two Orlando, Florida, residents after they illegally exported firearms and ammunition from the U.S. to Haiti, BIS said in Oct. 26 orders. BIS said Junior Joel Joseph was convicted April 12, 2019, of violating the Arms Export Control Act and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act when he conspired to export AR-15 rifles, Glock semi-automatic pistols, shotguns and ammunition to Haiti without the required licenses. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison, with three years of supervised release and a $500 fine. Jimy Joseph was convicted May 22, 2019, of conspiring to illegally export AR-15 rifles, Glock semi-automatic pistols and ammunition and was sentenced to 16 months in prison, three years of supervised release and a $200 fine. BIS revoked each man's export privileges for seven years from the date of his conviction.
The United Kingdom passed sanctions regulations related to immigration, overseas territories and Lebanon, an Oct. 27 EU Sanctions blog post said. The immigration-related regulations contain provisions on sanctioned people subject to a travel ban but “lawfully in the U.K.,” the post said. The other regulations affect licenses and authorizations, including the implementation of Lebanese sanctions, in U.K. overseas territories.