Syrian and Lebanese businessman Abdelkader Sabra saw his sanctions status annulled after successfully petitioning the case to the EU General Court. Sabra was listed under the EU's Syria sanctions regime as a prominent businessman in the country. The court said in a March 16 opinion that while Sabra had some business ties to Syria, the European Council hadn't showed he was linked to the Syrian regime, nor was there evidence he supported or benefited from it. As a result, the sanctions listing was annulled.
The EU extended its Bosnia and Herzegovina sanctions regime until March 31, 2024, the European Council said March 18. The restrictions apply to any individual or entity that threatens the sovereignty and constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina and provide for an asset freeze and a travel ban.
Australia will ban exports of alumina and aluminum ores, including bauxite, to Russia in a bid to limit the country’s ability to produce aluminum, Australia’s government said March 20. Russia relies on Australia for about 20% of its alumina, and the export ban will cut Russia’s ability to source a “critical input” into its “armaments industries,” Australia said. “The Government will work closely with exporters and peak bodies that will be affected by the ban to find new and expand existing markets,” Australia said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control designated the Central Reserve Police of the Sudan for human rights abuses. The CRP has "used excessive force and violence intended to silence civilian activists and protesters,” Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said. The CRP is a militarized Sudanese police unit that OFAC says has been "at the forefront of the Sudanese security forces’ violent response to peaceful protests." OFAC designated the CRP under Eexecutive Order 13818 and the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act in 2017. As of March 21, all property of the CRP that is in the U.S. or that is in the possession or control of U.S. persons, is blocked and must be reported to OFAC.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week issued a new general license to authorize certain transactions related to “civil maritime services” with people or companies in the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic or Luhansk People’s Republic regions of Ukraine. General License No. 24 only authorizes the transactions if the services are performed outside the covered regions and aren’t performed “on behalf of any entity located in, or organized under the laws of,” the covered regions.
When it runs out of its current equipment, the Russian military will face challenges sourcing critical technologies to upgrade and maintain its military goods, due to U.S. export controls (see 2202240069), the Atlantic Council said in a March 18 post on its website. But much of that could depend on how successfully the U.S. and its allies can enforce the restrictions, the Atlantic Council said, and whether Chinese companies comply with the restrictions or decide to supply chips to Russia and expose themselves to secondary sanctions or similar U.S. export controls (see 2203140009).
The Bureau of Industry and Security on March 17 issued three frequently asked questions to address matters surrounding the savings clauses in export control rules for Russia and Belarus (see 2202240069 and 2203020072). The FAQs clarify which activities and transactions are captured by the clauses, provide details around the effective dates of the clauses, and clarify whether the clauses would cover an order when the ultimate consignee is a warehouse or distributor.
China is unlikely to violate U.S. sanctions against Russia because it fears the consequences of U.S. secondary sanctions too much, said Kevin Rudd, president of the Asia Society and former Australian prime minister. China also will likely avoid providing military support to Russia, Rudd said, which could invite similar U.S. sanctions that could hurt its major state-run and private technology companies.
Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., and Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., on March 21 expressed optimism that Congress can begin conference negotiations on its China package before the end of the work period, as planned by Senate leadership (see 2203170075).
Following the U.K.'s imposition of massive sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, the U.K.'s Export Control Joint Unit published a General License allowing the provision of technical assistance, financial services and funds, and brokering services for certain vessels. The ECJU authorized these activities where a restricted vessel is moving from a third country to Russia or the U.K., or to a third country from Russia or transiting Russian waters.