Canada last week announced another set of sanctions against people in Haiti, targeting two Haitian “elites” who the country said enable the activity of armed criminal gangs. The designations apply to Charles Saint-Remy, a businessman and associate of former president Michel Martelly, and Arnel Belizaire, a former parliament member. Canada has sanctioned a range of people in Haiti over the past several months for corruption and drug trafficking (see 2212200016, 2212060008, 2211210026 and 2211040064).
The U.K. last week declined requests from Parliament to disclose more information about export control violations, saying it doesn’t believe the transparency will aid compliance or boost voluntary disclosures. The U.K. also said it’s bound by certain “confidentiality” requirements, including rules that limit the Department for International Trade’s Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) from releasing names of companies that have violated export restrictions.
The Bureau of Industry and Security finalized new export controls on four dual-use marine toxins after the restrictions were agreed to at the multilateral Australia Group (AG). BIS also announced other export control changes made by the AG, including revisions to clarify controls on certain “genetic elements and genetically modified organisms” and the “scope of the exclusion that applies” to certain medical isolators. The agency also updated the “nomenclature” of certain bacteria and fungi, and clarified the definition of “disinfected” as it applies to certain biological equipment. The changes take effect Jan. 17.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Suzanne Clark, in her annual "State of American Business" speech Jan. 12, said that if the Biden administration fails to strike a balance on how to respond to China's economic posture, it "could undermine our security, our economy, our competitiveness, and our future."
Mayer Brown announced partners Tim Keeler and Nikolay Mizulin as co-leaders of the firm's International Trade Practice, taking over from Duane Layton, who led the practice for 15 years. Keeler, who joined the firm in 2009, heads Mayer's Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. practice. Mizulin's practice centers on advising clients about "international and EU trade law, with particular emphasis on trade remedies, [World Trade Organization] Dispute Settlement, customs and sanctions," the firm said.
The State Department is seeking public comments on an information collection involving disclosures of Arms Export Control Act violations. Comments are due March 14.
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls this week updated its redline document to reflect a recent revision to its maximum monetary penalty amounts. The document uses colors to highlight text that has been deleted, moved and revised in the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control is adjusting its civil monetary penalties for inflation, the agency said in a notice. The new amounts include higher maximum penalties for violations of the Trading With the Enemy Act, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act and the Clean Diamond Trade Act. The agency also updated two references to “one-half the IEEPA maximum CMP from $165,474 to $178,290” and adjusted the record-keeping CMPs in OFAC’s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines. The changes take effect Jan. 13.
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal did not announce any breakthroughs after their Jan. 11 meeting, but their joint statement pointed to some trade irritants that might be resolved in the future.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week renewed a general license that authorizes certain transactions related to safety and environmental measures for certain sanctioned vessels. General License 21B, which replaces GL 21A, is valid through 12:01 a.m. April 13. The license was scheduled to expire Jan. 14 (see 2212140028)). OFAC also updated Frequently Asked Question 1097 to reflect the update.