A Taiwan resident and two companies were charged with participating in a conspiracy to violate U.S. export laws and sanctions against Iran, the Justice Department said Nov. 10. Chin Hua Huang was a sales agent for Taiwan business DES International Co. and Brunei company Soltech Industry Co., and all three conspired to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, Justice said. They were also sanctioned by the Treasury Department earlier this week (see 2011100025).
The European Union sanctions against Venezuela were renewed for one year, until Nov. 14, 2021, a Nov. 12 press release said. The measures include an embargo on arms and equipment “for internal repression,” and a travel ban and asset freezes on 36 people in official positions “who are responsible for human rights violations.”
When the Joe Biden administration takes office, it will likely continue the Commerce Department's emphasis on export controls and entity listings to stay ahead in technology competition with China, said Eric Sayers, an Asia-Pacific policy expert with the Center for a New American Security. Although both tools have been heavily used by the Trump administration, Biden might do more to convince allies to also impose those restrictions, especially as the U.S. fights to maintain commercial leadership in the semiconductor sector, Sayers said.
The United Kingdom’s Export Control Joint Unit on Nov. 10 issued contact information for defense-related export inquiries after it said exporters have had trouble reaching the agency. The ECJU said some U.K. exporters are sending emails to “out of date team contacts and email addresses,” and the defense ministry team at the ECJU is “not receiving these requests, which means that a response cannot be sent.” The agency stressed that all exporter requests related to general export license approval letters, exemption letters and other defense-related export matters should be sent to ECJU-MODTeam@mod.gov.uk.
The State Department designated Arnoldo Aleman, a former president of Nicaragua, due to his involvement in “significant corruption,” it said Nov. 9. The agency also designated several of Aleman’s family members: Maria Fernanda Flores Lanzas de Aleman, Maria Dolores Aleman Cardenal, Maria Alejandra Aleman Cardenal and Carlos Miguel Aleman Cardenal. The State Department said Arnoldo Aleman misappropriated millions of dollars in public funds to benefit himself and his family while he held the office of president from 1997 to 2002. “While this designation is based on acts during his time in office, Aleman’s corruption continues to reverberate in Nicaragua today,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned four people and six companies that helped procure U.S.-origin electronics components and other “sensitive” goods for an Iranian military firm, the agency said Nov. 10. OFAC said the network of people and companies helped ship the items to Iran Communication Industries, which produces military communications systems, electronic warfare items, missile launchers and other goods for Iran.
China’s Foreign Ministry criticized the U.S.’s Nov. 9 decision to sanction four more Hong Kong officials (see 2011090044), saying the U.S. has “blatantly meddled in Hong Kong affairs.” Hong Kong “is part of China and its affairs are entirely China's internal affairs which allow no foreign interference,” a ministry spokesperson said during a Nov. 10 news conference, according to a transcript the ministry released. “China urges the US side to immediately stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs, immediately lift the so-called sanctions and refrain from going further down the wrong path.” The last time the U.S. designated Hong Kong officials, China retaliated by sanctioning U.S. lawmakers and other U.S. citizens (see 2008100023).
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The European Council and the European Parliament agreed to new export control regulations for dual-use goods and sensitive technologies, paving the way for the European Union to soon implement a host of updated export control policies, licensing procedures and enforcement methods. The regulations, which have been discussed for years (see 1911290006 and 1906050039), will lead to more “accountable, competitive and transparent” trade in dual-use items, the council said Nov. 9.
The Bureau of Industry and Security extended the comment period for an information collection related to foreign importer certificates, end-user certificates, delivery verification certificates and firearms entry clearance requirements, a notice released Nov. 9 said. BIS said it wants more feedback on its collection for import and end-user certificates -- which are “obtained by the foreign importer and transmitted to the U.S. exporter” -- and delivery verification for BIS-controlled items. The agency is also seeking feedback on its information collection for firearms clearance requirements, which have changed due to the recent transfer of certain firearms controls from the State Department. “The Department of Commerce controls the [Commerce Control List] and must now take over this collection of information,” BIS said. The “entry clearance requirements for temporary imports will specify the [Export Administration Regulations] procedures for temporary imports and subsequent exports.” Comments are due Dec. 10.