Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., introduced a resolution Dec. 17 urging the Trump administration to seize “shadow fleet” vessels that transport sanctioned Russian oil.
The Treasury, Commerce and State departments released new guidance this week about the Syria-related sanctions and export control relief that's available to companies and other organizations and what Syria-related restrictions still remain (see 2508280029, 2505230073 and 2506160030). The three-page document is aimed at encouraging "U.S. private sector and foreign partner reengagement in Syria."
The Bureau of Industry and Security has completed a round of interagency review for an interim final rule that it said would streamline its export restrictions for drone exports. The agency sent the rule for interagency review on Aug. 21 (see 2509020010) and completed the review Dec. 22.
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Companies in the U.S. and the EU are increasingly being asked by Chinese business partners to certify that they’re not exporting rare earths in violation of Chinese export restrictions, including in some cases through post-shipment audits, lawyers said.
Benjamin Hawk has left his position as acting chief of DOJ's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, he announced on LinkedIn last week. He had been serving in the role since March 2022.
World Trade Organization members on Dec. 19 agreed to let the EU impose countermeasures on imports from the U.S. due to U.S. violations of WTO rules in its antidumping duty and countervailing duty proceedings on Spanish ripe olives, the WTO announced.
The European Commission is seeking public comments on possible export tariffs on certain aluminum scrap, which it said could lead to proposed "targeted measures" as soon as the spring. The consultation period comes after the EU in March adopted a steel and metals "action plan" that stressed the importance of ensuring "sufficient availability of scrap for EU producers." That plan said the Commission planned to examine "whether additional measures, such as export fees or export duties, are necessary." Comments are due by the end of Jan. 31.
The U.K.'s Export Control Joint Unit last week added anhydrous ammonia to the scope of a Russia-related general license that authorizes certain trade in fertilizers. The license covers certain financial services and other activities that make funds available to people connected with Russia "for the supply or delivery of specified fertiliser goods from Russia to a third country and making specified fertiliser goods available from Russia to a person in a third country," as long as they're intended for agricultural use.
China's Ministry of Commerce said the country has filed a request for consultations at the World Trade Organization over Indian tariffs on information and communication technology products and photovoltaic subsidy measures. China submitted the request Dec. 19, a ministry spokesperson said, adding that it suspects the duties and subsidies violate "several WTO obligations, including binding tariffs and national treatment, and constitute import substitution subsidies, which are expressly prohibited by the WTO."