Public comments are due Aug. 19 on a Treasury Department proposed rule that would add 59 military bases across 30 states to the jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. The rule, which Treasury previewed earlier this month (see 2407090003) but was officially published in the Federal Register July 19, also proposed to increase the scope of transactions CFIUS can examine for land purchases near eight other military bases, amend the definition of “military installation” and make other technical changes to the list of bases.
The EU and Japan, meeting July 16, acknowledged the entry into force of new provisions on the "free flow of data" and 48 new "Geographical Indications" under the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, the EU's Directorate-General for Trade announced. The two parties discussed "further market access improvement" and swapped views on "economic security issues." They came together for the fifth meeting of the Joint Committee established under the agreement.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called on Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., on July 16 to resign after the former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was found guilty in a federal corruption trial. It was not immediately clear whether Menendez would accept Schumer's recommendation. Menendez stepped down as chairman in September 2023 after he was indicted (see 2309280005). He remains a member of the committee, where he has been a vocal critic in recent years of a Trump-era rule that transferred the export control jurisdiction of certain weapons from the State Department to the Commerce Department (see 2110050029, 2109210058 and 2001170030), among other export control and sanctions issues.
If NATO considers adding Ukraine to the alliance, it should require the country to limit potential investment from China to address security concerns, according to a new report by Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The EU General Court last week annulled three European Council decisions sanctioning Vladimir Rashevsky, former CEO and director of mineral fertilizer giant EuroChem. The court didn't consider the most recent listing decision imposing sanctions on Rashevsky.
Rep. Maria Salazar, R-Fla., introduced a resolution last week opposing the lifting of sanctions against Cuba or the removal of Cuba from the State Department’s state sponsors of terrorism list.
The House Appropriations Committee has included several export control provisions in a new report accompanying its version of the FY 2025 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Bill.
The Senate Armed Services Committee wants the Defense Department to give lawmakers a progress report by March 1 on technology development collaboration activities being conducted under Pillar II of the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) security partnership.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said July 11 he has told Indian leaders to stop buying new Russian military equipment or risk losing his support for U.S. arms exports to the South Asian country.
Two Republicans asked the Biden administration July 11 to provide a classified briefing on Microsoft’s new partnership with Group 42 Holding Ltd. (G42), a United Arab Emirates-based artificial intelligence company with ties to China.