The Swiss Federal Council imposed sanctions on eight individuals and four entities for their roles in the Feb. 1 coup in Myanmar, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs said in a July 1 news release. The listings follow the third round of Myanmar sanctions imposed by the European Union and subject the parties to an asset freeze and travel ban. The individuals, all military or government officials, are Soe Htut, Tun Tun Naung, Win Shein, Khin Maung Yi, Tin Aung San, Thida Oo, Aung Lin Tun and Zaw Min Tun, a State Secretariat notice said. The entities are Myanma Gems Enterprise, Myanma Timber Enterprise, Forest Products Joint Venture and Myanmar War Veterans Organization.
The United Kingdom's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation in a June 30 blog post sought to clarify the term “reasonableness in licensing.” When deciding to unfreeze funds subject to sanctions for the payment of professional fees and expenses for legal services, OFSI must consider that those fees are “reasonable.”
The Office of Foreign Assets Control will officially remove the International Criminal Court-Related Sanctions Regulations from the Code of Federal Regulations, OFAC said in a notice. The sanctions were originally imposed under the Trump administration but sparked opposition from human rights advocates. President Joe Biden revoked them in April (see 2104020046). The removal takes effect July 6.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on July 2 sanctioned 22 people connected to Myanmar’s military regime. The designations include seven “key members” of the military and 15 of their spouses and adult children. “Today’s action demonstrates that the United States will continue to impose increasing costs on Burma’s military and promote accountability for those responsible for the military coup and ongoing violence, including by targeting sources of revenue for the military and its leaders,” OFAC Director Andrea Gacki said in a statement.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on July 2 removed four entries from its Specially Designated Nationals List. The entries were designated under Iran and nonproliferation sanctions. OFAC didn't immediately provide more information on the removals.
The Bureau of Industry and Security will add four Myanmar entities to the Entity List July 6 for their support of the country’s Ministry of Defense, including through funding and the provision of telecommunications services, the agency said in a notice. BIS will also correct the address for an existing Myanmar entity on the list. The companies “pose a significant risk of being or becoming involved” in activities contrary to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, BIS said, adding that the license restrictions will support U.S. efforts to return democracy to Myanmar.
International trade lawyer Matt Lapin joined Porter Wright as a partner in the firm's Washington office, according to a June 28 press release. Lapin, previously with Torres Law, brings with him experience on export controls and international trade law, including compliance efforts with the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and Export Administration Regulations. He also advises on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other domestic and international anti-bribery laws.
The United Kingdom's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation in a July 1 Financial Sanctions Notice amended the listing of Andrei Valeryevich Kartapolov under the commonwealth's Russia sanctions regime. OFSI removed a known alias from his listing.
The European Union extended its vaccine export control regime until the end of September, the European Commission announced June 30. The controls apply only to companies with which the EU has negotiated an advance purchase agreement and require these companies to notify their member state authorities of their intention to export COVID-19 vaccines. Due to the controls, the EU has gained greater transparency into the vaccine supply chains and has gleaned that it is a global leader in vaccine exports, the release said.
Reps. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, and Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., told President Joe Biden that 20% of farm income comes from exports, and said an agricultural negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative would help expand those sales. “For several years, our producers have experienced price declines, retaliatory tariffs, severe weather, drought, and other hardships that have been out of their control,” they wrote in a June 29 letter. They said that fresh vegetable exports last year to Japan fell 35% and that the same exports to Taiwan fell 12%. “It is critical the Chief Agricultural Negotiator promotes American agriculture around the world and works vigorously to advance existing and future markets for our producers.” Twenty-six other members also signed.