The State Department this week extended its open general license pilot program for three years, allowing users to continue using the licenses beyond the original July 31 expiration date. The agency’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls said the extension will help it “collect sufficient data to consider the usefulness” of the pilot -- which includes a license each for certain reexports and retransfers -- and will give companies “sufficient certainty” to continue relying on the licenses “without fear that they could expire more quickly than a traditional license.”
The Bureau of Industry and Security this week added 11 entities in China, Myanmar, Nicaragua and Russia to the Entity List for various activities that have contributed to human rights abuses, the agency said in a final rule effective March 28. The entities include procurement firms, a police entity and technology and electronics companies, including several subsidiaries of Chinese surveillance company Hikvision, which was added to the Entity List in 2019 (see 2205090014).
Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti approved sanctions on the Wagner Group to align with the U.S. designation of the mercenary group fighting in Ukraine (see 2301260023). Kosovo also updated its dual-use goods list to align with the European Commission's list.
The U.K. Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation this week added two people and one entity to its Myanmar sanctions list: Khin Phyu Win, director of Shoon Energy; Tun Min Latt, director of Star Sapphire Trading Co.; and Shoon Energy. The U.S. sanctioned Tun Min Latt and Star Sapphire last week (see 2303240024).
Estonian electronics exporter By Trade OU asked a court to issue a sentence against the company that would require it to forfeit all its assets as punishment for violating U.S. export controls against Russia. Filing a sentencing memorandum with the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, By Trade OU offered up its remaining assets, totalling over $337,000, since it would not be able to pay any fine ordered by the court "due to its financial resources." The company said it would then "cease operations" (United States v. By Trade OU, D. Conn. # 22-00110)
The Biden administration should impose new sanctions against the Bolivian government for recent human rights violations, Republicans said in a letter to the White House last week. The government has arrested political rivals, and its “absence of a robust opposition, civil society and independent media” provides an “open door for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and other authoritarian regimes to further impose their strategic interests on the South American country and the region,” said the letter, signed by six lawmakers, including Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Carlos Gimenez, both of Florida. It’s “imperative that the United States hold accountable those Bolivian human rights abusers that violate the fundamental freedoms of Bolivia’s opposition candidates, and their supporters.” The White House didn’t comment.
The Bureau of Industry and Security added 11 entities in China, Myanmar, Nicaragua and Russia to the Entity List for various activities that have contributed to human rights abuses, the agency said in a final rule effective March 28. The entities include technology and electronics companies, among them multiple subsidiaries of Chinese surveillance company Hikvision, which was added to the Entity List in 2019 (see 2205090014). The entities will face a license requirement for all items subject to the Export Administration Regulations, and BIS will review license applications under a presumption of denial. BIS also amended the EAR to “explicitly confirm” that protecting human rights worldwide is a “basis” for adding entities to the Entity List.
The Biden administration this week plans to “unveil” new human rights-related export control measures as part of the second Summit for Democracy, a senior administration official said. The measures will show how the U.S. and its allies have so far implemented the Export Controls and Human Rights Initiative, an effort announced at the first democracy summit in 2021 that was designed to lead to better guardrails on exports of surveillance items and other technologies (see 2112090030).
South Korea on March 23 withdrew its dispute complaint at the World Trade Organization concerning Japanese export restrictions, the WTO said. South Korea launched the dispute against Japan in 2019 to protest Japanese export controls on fluorinated polymide, hydrogen fluoride and resist. Japan announced earlier this month that it will relax these controls following an export control policy dialogue with South Korea (see 2303170015).
Finland permitted a Russian fertilizer shipment to be shipped through EU territory and exported to a third country to "promote food security," the country said last week. Although EU sanctions don't prohibit imports or the transit of fertilisers from Russia, Finland said it seized the shipment earlier this month because the country suspected it of being owned by a sanctioned Russian person, and member states "must freeze the funds and economic resources owned or controlled by sanctioned individuals." The country's foreign ministry released the shipment after receiving a "request for authorization" from the purchaser. The authorisation was "granted under the condition that the fertilisers are exported to a third country to promote food security," Finland said.