The U.K. added two new subsidiaries to the scope of a general license that authorizes certain transactions with sanctioned Russian oil firm Lukoil's Bulgarian subsidiaries. The license, which took effect Nov. 14 and expires Feb. 14, now covers Lukoil Aviation Bulgaria EOOD and Lukoil Bunker Bulgaria EOOD. The license previously only covered Lukoil Bulgaria EOOD and Lukoil Neftochim Burgas AD.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is extending public comment periods for two information collections related to its delivery verification procedures for imports, it said in notices released Nov. 20. The agency previously requested feedback on the collections in July and is now allowing an additional 30 days for comments (see 2507250001).
The U.S. has imposed plenty of sanctions on bad actors in Myanmar in recent years but should do more to enforce those measures and coordinate them with its allies, a Southeast Asia expert told lawmakers Nov. 19.
Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, which oversees the Bureau of Industry and Security, introduced a bill Nov. 17 to promote multilateral coordination on export controls for chipmaking equipment.
The Council of the European Union on Nov. 20 sanctioned 10 people that it said are responsible for human rights abuses in Russia. The listings include officials in the "main directorate of the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation for the Rostov Oblast," which are facilities in which Ukrainian prisoners of war are tortured, the council said. At least 15 detainees have died as a result of their treatment at the Russian penitentiary facilities, including journalist Victoria Roshchyna, the council said. Other additions to the sanctions list include members of the Russian judiciary who played a role in prosecuting activist Alexei Gorinov and other opposition figures.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control deleted three people from its Specially Designated Nationals List this week: Mounir Ben Habib Jarraya, Tatiana Ryabikova and Vladimir Santic. Jarraya was sanctioned in 2003 for ties to terrorism, and Ryabikova was sanctioned in 2022 for being an employee of Viktor Artemov, who was designated for helping to export Iranian oil. The reason for Santic's original U.S. designation is unclear, although he was convicted more than two decades ago for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, an ad hoc U.N. court that was established to prosecute war crimes committed during the Yugoslav Wars. OFAC didn't release information about why they were removed from the SDN List.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned dozens of people, entities and ships that are helping to move and sell oil for the Iranian government and fund its military. The designations target companies and people in the United Arab Emirates, Panama, Greece, India, Germany and other countries, and six ships flying the flags of Panama, Gambia and Palau for providing logistics services for the sales, acting as front companies for the sales, helping to charter vessels and more.
Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Texas, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, which oversees the Bureau of Industry and Security, said Nov. 20 that she’s concerned that recent personnel departures at BIS have caused a “talent drain” at the export control agency.
The U.S. should focus on leading the global diffusion of American AI technology to allies instead of bargaining with Beijing to sell advanced chips to China, an industry official and think tank expert said this week.
The Netherlands is suspending its takeover of Chinese-owned semiconductor firm Nexperia, announced Vincent Karremans, the Dutch minister of economic affairs. The Netherlands has had "constructive discussions with the Chinese authorities" and is "positive about the steps the Chinese authorities have taken to restart the supply of chips to Europe and the rest of the world," he said Nov. 19 in a statement, according to an unofficial translation.