The Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking public comments by Aug. 8 on an information collection related to its export control seminars. The collection deals with voluntary surveys submitted to BIS for its seminars, which helps give the agency feedback on how it can improve its “course offerings to meet the needs of the exporting community.”
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., is proposing a limited carbon tax on firms that are dirtier than average in about a dozen industries, and a carbon border tax on imports in those industries that are also above those benchmarks. The fee would start in 2024, for fossil fuel producers, refiners of petroleum products, petrochemicals manufacturers, fertilizer producers, hydrogen producers, adipic acid processors, cement producers, iron and steelmakers, aluminum producers, glass producers, pulp and paper plants, and ethanol producers. According to a press release from Whitehouse.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a final rule this week that will officially loosen some Trump-era restrictions on Cuba, including on certain remittances to the island (see 2009230029 and 2010230024). The changes, previewed by the administration in May (see 2205170004) and effective June 9, will amend the Cuban Assets Control Regulations by removing the limit on family remittances of $1,000 per quarter. It will also authorize donative remittances to Cuba, remove restrictions on certain "academic educational activities," and allow travel to Cuba related to educational groups or professional meetings or conferences. The rule also made technical changes to the CACR by adding and updating "several cross references."
The EU updated its frequently asked questions pages relating to its Russia sanctions regime for a host of topics. The new guidance relates to public procurement, aviation, credit rating, deposits, insurance and reinsurance, state-owned enterprises, customs-related matters and circumvention and due diligence.
After receiving criticism this week for its lack of progress in a possible investigation of illegal exports to Huawei, a Bureau of Industry and Security spokesperson said the agency is “committed to fully investigating any allegation” of violations of the foreign direct product rule, including illegal shipments to the Chinese technology giant. The agency has come under criticism for not yet penalizing Seagate Technologies for potentially illegally exporting goods to Huawei (see 2206070011).
The Bureau of Industry and Security June 8 issued a temporary denial order for three U.S. companies for their involvement in illegally exported technical drawings and blueprints to China. BIS said it suspended the export privileges for Quicksilver Manufacturing, Rapid Cut and U.S. Prototype for 180 days after they illegally exported materials used to 3D print satellite, rocket and defense-related prototypes, which are subject to strict export controls because of their “sensitivity and importance to U.S. national security,” BIS said.
The EU General Court dismissed an application for "interim measures" made by an individual listed under the EU's Russia sanctions regime. The court ruled that the application didn't show a good prima facie case and that there was no urgency or serious irreparable harm in the matter, thus no need was presented to suspend the pending restrictive measures, according to an unofficial translation. The court has ruled in the same way on all interim measures cases on restrictive measures.
The EU General Court in a June 1 judgment dismissed an application from sanctioned individual Yevgeniy Prigozhin to revoke the European Council acts including and maintaining his designation under the Libya sanctions regime. Prigozhin was originally listed due to his standing as a Russian businessman with links to the paramilitary Wagner Group. He filed his case to argue that the council relied on inadmissible evidence to make the sanctions decisions. The court rejected this claim, holding that the evidence, which includes UN reports and press articles, appears sound and reliable and thus contains "some probative value."
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York granted the U.S. a warrant to seize a Boeing 787-8 aircraft and Gulfstream G650ER aircraft owned by sanctioned Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, DOJ announced June 6. The district court said the airplanes are subject to seizure and forfeiture based on probable cause of violating the Export Control Reform Act and recent Russia sanctions imposed following the country's invasion of Ukraine (see 2206060038).
The Drug Enforcement Administration is listing methoxetamine (MXE), a member of the arylcyclohexylamine class of drugs with dissociative anesthetic and hallucinogenic properties, similar to phencyclidine (PCP) and ketamine, under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in a notice published June 6. “This action imposes the regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions applicable to schedule I controlled substances on persons who handle (manufacture, distribute, reverse distribute, import, export, engage in research, conduct instructional activities or chemical analysis with, or possess), or propose to handle, methoxetamine.” The listing takes effect July 6.