After passing the House 424-8 more than two weeks ago, a bill to end permanent normal trade relations status with Russia and Belarus remains hung up in the Senate. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., objected to the language renewing Magnitsky sanctions that is attached to the bill (see 2203290057).
The U.K.'s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation in an April 5 notice amended the sanctions listing for private Russian military contractor Wagner Group. OFSI updated the name on the listing.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced in an April 5 speech in Strasbourg the scope of the EU's fifth round of sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, according to prepared remarks. The sanctions consist of "six pillars" along with a host of restrictions on individuals close to the Russian regime.
The U.S. and allies plan to issue a host of new Russia sanctions today, April 6, including new investment restrictions and more sanctions targeting financial firms, state-owned companies and government officials, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said April 5. The sanctions, previewed earlier this week by U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan (see 2204040003), are part of the administration's efforts to impose "consequences" on Russia and "hold Russian officials accountable" for the country's war in Ukraine, Psaki said. "Our objective here is to deplete the resources that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has to continue his war against Ukraine," Psaki said. "And obviously causing more uncertainty and challenges to their financial system is a part of that."
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The U.S. will soon issue a series of new Russian financial restrictions, including full-blocking sanctions on the country’s largest financial institution, Sberbank, and its largest private bank, Alfa Bank, the White House said April 6. The U.S. will also impose full-blocking sanctions against a group of “critical” Russian state-owned entities, Russian government officials, oligarchs and their family members, including President Vladimir Putin’s adult children. President Joe Biden will also issue an executive order blocking new investment in Russia by U.S. people or companies. The U.S. sanctions will be announced alongside similar measures by G7 member states and the EU.
If the Bureau of Industry and Security’s new undersecretary doesn’t quickly prove he can make progress on export controls for foundational technologies, Congress should consider moving the authority to a different agency, said Derek Scissors, a China economics expert with the American Enterprise Institute. Although lawmakers have previously threatened to revoke BIS’s authority under the Export Control Reform Act (see 2111170064 and 2110250035), Scissors said they should wait to first hear whether newly confirmed undersecretary Alan Estevez has a plan to speed up the agency, which has been criticized for moving too slowly on the controls.
The U.K. reached eight settlements over charges relating to unlicensed strategic exports, with the largest one totaling over $3.5 million, it said April 4. The U.K's Export Control Joint Unit said the eight settlements were struck between December and February. The smallest payment was for $1,300 relating to exports of military goods. The $3.5 million settlement also covered unlicensed exports of military goods covered by the U.K.'s 2008 Export Control Order.
The EU General Court annulled the sanctions listing of former Ukrainian President Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych and his son, Oleksandr Viktorovych Yanukovych, in a pair of March 30 orders. The two were listed in 2014 under the Ukraine sanctions regime in connection with the embezzlement of state funds. The listings were annulled because the EU Council failed to satisfy the Yanukovychs' right to defense and relied on criminal proceedings conducted by Ukrainian authorities that failed to respect effective judicial protection. The two remain subject to an asset freeze, with their sanctions listings renewed until Sept. 6.
Vietnam's Cao Bang Customs plans to build a "green zone" to help prevent and control COVID-19 for import and export activities, the state-run CustomsNews reported April 4. To set up the green zone, Cao Bang Customs will regularly perform COVID-19 tests, ensure closed management of staff at the Ta Lung Border Gate, disinfect imported and exported goods, and implement a freight forwarding plan and disinfection for vehicles carrying imports and exports.