The Office of Foreign Assets Control on July 2 sanctioned 22 people connected to Myanmar’s military regime. The designations include seven “key members” of the military and 15 of their spouses and adult children. “Today’s action demonstrates that the United States will continue to impose increasing costs on Burma’s military and promote accountability for those responsible for the military coup and ongoing violence, including by targeting sources of revenue for the military and its leaders,” OFAC Director Andrea Gacki said in a statement.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on July 2 removed four entries from its Specially Designated Nationals List. The entries were designated under Iran and nonproliferation sanctions. OFAC didn't immediately provide more information on the removals.
The Bureau of Industry and Security will add four Myanmar entities to the Entity List July 6 for their support of the country’s Ministry of Defense, including through funding and the provision of telecommunications services, the agency said in a notice. BIS will also correct the address for an existing Myanmar entity on the list. The companies “pose a significant risk of being or becoming involved” in activities contrary to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, BIS said, adding that the license restrictions will support U.S. efforts to return democracy to Myanmar.
International trade lawyer Matt Lapin joined Porter Wright as a partner in the firm's Washington office, according to a June 28 press release. Lapin, previously with Torres Law, brings with him experience on export controls and international trade law, including compliance efforts with the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and Export Administration Regulations. He also advises on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other domestic and international anti-bribery laws.
The United Kingdom's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation in a July 1 Financial Sanctions Notice amended the listing of Andrei Valeryevich Kartapolov under the commonwealth's Russia sanctions regime. OFSI removed a known alias from his listing.
The European Union extended its vaccine export control regime until the end of September, the European Commission announced June 30. The controls apply only to companies with which the EU has negotiated an advance purchase agreement and require these companies to notify their member state authorities of their intention to export COVID-19 vaccines. Due to the controls, the EU has gained greater transparency into the vaccine supply chains and has gleaned that it is a global leader in vaccine exports, the release said.
Reps. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, and Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., told President Joe Biden that 20% of farm income comes from exports, and said an agricultural negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative would help expand those sales. “For several years, our producers have experienced price declines, retaliatory tariffs, severe weather, drought, and other hardships that have been out of their control,” they wrote in a June 29 letter. They said that fresh vegetable exports last year to Japan fell 35% and that the same exports to Taiwan fell 12%. “It is critical the Chief Agricultural Negotiator promotes American agriculture around the world and works vigorously to advance existing and future markets for our producers.” Twenty-six other members also signed.
The United Nations Security Council and the United Kingdom removed sanctions from an Iraqi entity this week. The designation targeted Iraq’s State Contracting Water and Sewage Projects Company.
The Bureau of Industry and Security will add four Myanmar entities to the Entity List June 6 for supporting the country’s Ministry of Defense, including through funding and the provision of telecommunication services. BIS will also correct the address for an existing Myanmar entity on the list. For each of the new entities, BIS will impose a license requirement for all items subject to the Export Administration Regulations, and no license exceptions will be available. The entities will be subject to a license review policy of presumption of denial.
KPMG recently surveyed a range of companies about their export control and sanctions compliance programs to determine how they organize those programs, which regulations and regions are their focus, and how they manage compliance risks. The survey, released last month, shows that compliance officials often manage multiple export regimes and nearly 90% of the respondents have a person or team “specially dedicated” to export compliance. About 25% don’t have or don’t know if they have a formal compliance program. In addition, about 99% said U.S. regulations affect their compliance, while 72% said they are affected by European Union laws and 46% by Chinese regulations. The survey also includes company responses to questions about risk assessments, training, screening activities and export licensing responsibilities.