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

The Australian Sanctions Office will launch Pax, its new sanctions portal, Oct. 1, the country said Sept. 23. Pax, announced earlier this year (see 2001070018), will be more “user-friendly” for industry and allow for better engagement with the Sanctions Office, the notice said. Australia will release details on how to access Pax, including “support materials,” on the day of the launch.

A Mexican citizen who lives in the U.S. was charged with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act for his alleged involvement in an international bribery and money laundering scheme. Javier Aguilar, a trader at the U.S. subsidiary of a multinational oil distributor, allegedly paid $870,000 worth of bribes to Ecuadorian officials, the Justice Department said Sept. 22.

A U.S. asphalt company agreed to pay a criminal fine of $16.6 million after pleading guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit anti-bribery violations, the Justice Department said Sept. 22. The agency said Sargeant Marine Inc. conspired to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act when it schemed to bribe foreign officials in Brazil, Venezuela and Ecuador to obtain asphalt contracts.

Intel was granted U.S. export licenses to supply certain products to Huawei, an Intel spokesperson said in a Sept. 23 email. Intel received the licenses despite increased U.S. restrictions against the Chinese technology company, including the Bureau of Industry and Security's August revisions to the foreign direct product rule that were intended to block Huawei’s ability to access U.S. technology (see 2008170029). The Intel spokesperson declined to provide more details on the licenses. A BIS spokesperson said the agency does not comment on licensing issues.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned 15 people and entities for supporting Russian government operative Yevgeniy Prigozhin and the Russian Federal Security Service, OFAC said Sept. 23. The designations are designed to increase pressure on Prigozhin, who runs and finances the Internet Research Agency, a Russian troll farm that was sanctioned by OFAC in 2018.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Sept. 22 issued another reminder (see 2007010042) to industry to file annual reports on blocked property by Sept. 30. The notice applies to blocked property held as of June 30. The notice includes a link to the blocked property report spreadsheet and guidance on filing the reports.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control announced new Cuba sanctions and restrictions to limit the use of certain licenses and prohibit a range of activities in Cuba. The sanctions include restrictions on lodging in Cuba, professional research and “public performances.” The changes, outlined in a final rule released Sept. 23, are effective Sept. 24.

China’s so-called unreliable entity list could present compliance challenges for multinational companies and may be used to retaliate against U.S. export controls and sanctions, trade lawyers said. As a result, companies trying to comply with both U.S. and Chinese regulations may have to choose one over the other, risking sanctions from at least one country, law firms said.

Trade ministers from the G-20 nations said they will continue to support reform of the World Trade Organization and restoration of a functioning dispute settlement system, and that they recognize how important it is that any trade measures related to COVID-19 are “targeted, proportionate, transparent [and] temporary,” and don't create unnecessary disruption to global supply chains. The statement was released Sept. 22, at the end of a virtual G-20 summit.