The U.S. government’s “economic statecraft” tools, including export controls and sanctions, are “fragmented” across multiple agencies, and Congress should consider consolidating them into a single entity to increase coordination, focus and accountability, the congressionally mandated U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said in its new 2025 annual report.

The U.K.'s Export Control Joint Unit released its latest set of export licensing statistics, covering April 1 to June 30. The data includes licensing decisions, processing times, license registrations and suspensions, and more. During that time period, the agency said, it made 2,716 licensing decisions for standard individual export licenses, down 5% from the previous quarter. Of those standard licenses, 96% were granted, 4% were refused, and none were revoked. The U.K. also said 53% of those applications were closed in the U.K.'s licensing system within 20 working days, up from 48% in the previous quarter.

The EU is hoping to complete its new economic security doctrine next month to outline how the bloc should be using its export control powers and other similar trade tools, said Maros Sefcovic, the EU commissioner for trade and economic security.

Congress will move toward a vote on a bill that gives the president the authority to hike tariffs on goods from countries that buy Russian energy, and directs him to prohibit banking transactions and foreign exchange transactions for Russian companies doing business with companies or banks in other countries.

Nature’s Sunshine Products, a dietary supplement manufacturer headquartered in Utah, said it recently submitted final voluntary disclosures related to possible violations of U.S. sanctions and export controls.

Kodiak Gas Services, a natural gas company headquartered in Texas, likely made payments involving people “associated” with Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists, the company disclosed in an SEC filing this month.

The State Department plans to label Venezuela-based Cartel de los Soles a Foreign Terrorist Organization for its role in "terrorist violence throughout our hemisphere" and trafficking drugs into the U.S., the agency said Nov. 16. The cartel already was labeled a Specially Designated Global Terrorist earlier this year, and the FTO label would subject the group to more financial restrictions (see 2507270002). At least one lawmaker has urged the Trump administration to designate Cartel de los Soles an FTO (see 2503280033).

U.S. and multilateral sanctions and export controls imposed on Russia, Iran and North Korea have had only a limited effect due to China’s role in helping those countries evade the restrictions, the congressionally mandated U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said in a report released Nov. 14.

The EU needs to overhaul its approach to export controls so it can better respond to rising extraterritorial restrictions by the U.S. and China, a European Parliament member told a conference of EU and U.S. government and industry officials last week.

Emily Weinstein, senior policy adviser at the Bureau of Industry and Security’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Export Administration, said Nov. 14 she’s leaving the agency. “Unbeknownst to me, today was my last day” at BIS, she wrote on LinkedIn. "I am deeply saddened to be leaving the amazing BIS team behind, but am looking forward to seeing what comes next."