The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls released a recording of its Jan. 14 webinar about its Defense Export Control and Compliance System (see 2001210025 and 2001090014), DDTC said in a Jan. 23 notice. The webinar covers the “major features of the DECCS release,” including enrollment steps. DDTC plans to release the registration and licensing applications to the DECCS platform in February.
Congress is examining U.S.-Turkey trade ties -- and the changes to trade policy with Turkey -- more closely, and a recent Congressional Research Service report gives policymakers context for decisions they might make. When Turkey invaded Syria after the U.S. withdrew support for Kurdish forces, there was talk of levying sanctions (see 1910100049, 1910170054 and 1910180060), but since the crisis abated, there was no more discussion of sanctions.
New European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told a German wire service that she and President Donald Trump want an agreement that resolves issues “in a few weeks.” But she didn't say how comprehensive such an agreement would be.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is removing the opioid antagonist 6-beta-naltrexol from schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in a final rule. Effective Jan. 24, DEA is removing “regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions applicable to controlled substances, including those specific to schedule II controlled substances, on persons who handle (manufacture, distribute, reverse distribute, dispense, conduct research, import, export, or conduct chemical analysis) or propose to handle” 6-beta-naltrexol, it said.
The Drug Enforcement Administration placed the neurosteroid brexanolone into Schedule IV of the Controlled Substances Act, it said. The final rule confirms an interim regulation issued in June that subjected brexanolone to new registration, labeling, recordkeeping, and import and export requirements.
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned four international petrochemical and petroleum companies that have transferred hundreds of millions of dollars worth of exports from the National Iranian Oil Company, Treasury said in a Jan. 23 press release. The NIOC is “instrumental” in Iran’s petroleum industry and helps finance Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force, the agency said. OFAC sanctioned Hong Kong-based broker Triliance Petrochemical Co., Hong Kong-based Sage Energy HK, Shanghai-based Peakview Industry Co. and Dubai-based Beneathco DMCC.
The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls issued a Jan. 23 guidance on the final rules for the transfer of gun export controls from the State Department to the Commerce Department, including a clarification on license submissions during the transition period. The guidance also clarifies how the rules and transition period affect technical assistance agreements, manufacturing license agreements, reporting requirements, commodity jurisdiction determinations and regulatory oversight responsibilities. The rules -- which were published Jan. 23 and transfer export control authority from the State Department to Commerce for a range of firearms, ammunition and other defense items -- will take effect March 9 (see 2001170030).
The U.S., China, Germany, the United Kingdom and others called on the United Nations Security Council to impose sanctions on people or companies violating the arms embargo or ceasefire in Libya, according to a Jan. 19 press release from Germany’s federal press office. The countries also called on UN member states to enforce the sanctions, “including through national implementation measures.” The statement was issued after the Berlin Conference on Libya, which gathered countries to “assist” the UN in “unifying the International Community in their support for a peaceful solution to the Libyan crisis,” the statement said.
Most aspects of the United Kingdom’s trading environment will remain the same for U.K. companies during the Brexit transition period, according to Kevin Shakespeare, director of stakeholder engagement at the Institute of Export and International Trade. But there are some important developments companies should monitor, including a changing trade relationship with Ireland, preparing for new customs procedures and an unclear environment surrounding origin of goods. Perhaps most importantly, Shakespeare said, U.K. traders need to maintain communication with customers, suppliers and stakeholders to retain their confidence during the transition period.
In the Jan. 17-21 editions of the Official Journal of the European Union the following trade-related notices were posted: