Recent revisions to the EU’s dual-use export control list were officially published Nov. 7 and take effect Nov. 8, according to a document published in the Official Journal of the EU. The changes, previewed in September (see 2409100030), add and remove certain controlled items, change certain control parameters and revise technical definitions and descriptions, including to reflect updates made by multilateral export control regimes during 2023. The EU published a summary of the changes earlier this year.
The U.S. wants to remove more export barriers faced by the commercial space industry even after announcing a set of space-related export control reforms in October, a senior official said this week, adding that the effort could continue under the incoming Trump administration.
Six Democratic and Republican senators urged the Biden administration last week to again designate the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), citing the Yemen-based group’s attacks on commercial ships, U.S. forces deployed overseas and Israel, and its obstruction of humanitarian aid deliveries to Yemeni civilians.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., asked PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) last week to explain whether the U.K.-based consulting firm, which has a large presence in the U.S., has provided consulting services for China-based clients that were on the Defense Department’s 1260H list of Chinese military companies, the Treasury Department’s Non-SDN Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies List or the Commerce Department’s Entity List. Rubio included his question in a letter raising concerns about PwC’s ties to China. PwC had no immediate comment on the letter.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said Nov. 6 he’s pleased the U.K. is reportedly preparing to reimpose sanctions on Iran for violating its nuclear weapons-related obligations. McCaul said the snapback of U.N. sanctions on Iran is "vital" now because the mechanism that authorizes them is set to expire.
Asia-based companies should make sure they’re doing enough due diligence to take into account heightened Western focus on Russia-related sanctions evasion, Ropes and Gray said in a Nov. 5 client alert, particularly because of their “geographical proximity” to Russia. The firm pointed to guidance on sanctions evasion recently released by the Group of 7 nations (see 2409250004), adding that Asian companies “are at higher risk for diversion as Russia is ever more reliant on complex transnational structures to circumvent sanctions and procure critical technology and manufacturing components” for its weapons.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned Prointer ITSS general director Vladimir Perisic and Elpring d.o.o. Laktasi for their ties to a “corrupt patronage network” that supports the president of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the country’s sanctions evasion attempts. OFAC said President Milorad Dodik and his son use Perisic and others to control private companies that are awarded government contracts, including Elpring.
The possible North Korean deployment of troops to Russia, as well as Russia’s transfer of missile technology to North Korea, would violate multiple U.N. sanctions resolutions and shouldn’t be allowed, the U.S. and several allies said in a Nov. 6 joint statement. They said they have “grave concerns” about Russia’s use of North Korean troops against Ukraine and are “deeply concerned” about potential shipments of nuclear or ballistic missile-related technology from Russia to North Korea.
Former President Donald Trump is projected to win reelection and Republicans took back control of the Senate, setting up a possible repeat of the first Trump-led government that frequently used export controls to counter China and didn’t hesitate to levy threats at traditional U.S. trading partners.
Turkish national Taskin Torlak was arrested Nov. 2 for allegedly conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions by scheming to ship oil from Venezuela to benefit the country's state-owned oil and natural gas company Petroleos de Venezuela, DOJ announced.