The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls released slides from its Jan. 14 webinar (see 2001090014) about its Defense Export Control and Compliance System. The webinar was aimed at helping industry prepare for its launch, and includes information on how companies can enroll, highlights of the new platform and contact information for inquiries. DDTC plans to release the registration and licensing applications to the DECCS platform in February.
The Commerce Department denied export privileges for Marjan Caby after Caby violated the Export Administration Regulations, Commerce said in a Jan. 17 order. The violations stem from a scheme involving a Miami-based company, its manager and its registered agent, whose export privileges were revoked in November for violating the EAR by illegally exporting aircraft parts and equipment to Syrian Arab Airlines (see 1911130043). Caby worked as the “internal auditor” for AW-Tronics/Arrowtronic, the company named in the order, and helped the shipments evade U.S. export controls by directing them to Bulgaria before they were eventually shipped to Syria, Commerce said. Caby’s export privileges were revoked for four years from the date of the order.
The European Union is finalizing sanctions on people and entities involved in Turkey’s illegal drilling (see 1911120032) in the Eastern Mediterranean, Josep Borrell, the EU’s high representative, said Jan. 20, according to an unofficial translation. Borrell did not give a time frame for imposing the sanctions. Borrell also said “there is no news” on the EU’s efforts to impose sanctions on Venezuela (see 2001100014).
The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementations amended its Iraq sanctions list, according to a Jan. 20 notice. OFSI removed 15 entries from the list, which removed their asset freezes. The removals include state agencies for agriculture, metals, chemicals and electricity.
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned 13 aircrafts belonging to Petroleos de Venezuela, Venezuela’s state-run and sanctioned energy company, Treasury said in a Jan. 21 press release. The aircrafts have been used for travel for senior members of the Nicolas Maduro regime and have “operated in an unsafe and unprofessional manner in proximity to U.S. military aircraft,” Treasury said.
A New York lobbying firm agreed to pay about $12,000 for violations of the Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations, the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said in a Jan. 21 notice. The firm, Park Strategies, LLC, violated U.S. sanctions when it signed a contract and received payments from Al-Barakaat Group of Companies Somalia Limited, which was designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by OFAC in 2001. The contract required Park Strategies to provide lobbying services for Al-Barakaat, which were “outside the scope” of authorized activities specified in the Treasury’s general license for legal services.
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control renewed two Venezuela-related general licenses, according to a Jan. 17 notice. General License No. 8E, which replaces No. 8D, authorizes certain transactions between Petroleos de Venezuela and Chevron, Haliburton, Schlumberger Limited, Baker Hughes and Weatherford International through 12:01 a.m. on April 22. General License No. 5B, which replaces No. 5A, states that certain transactions relating to the PdVSA “8.5 Percent Bond” are authorized on or after April 22.
The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control does not adequately report on the money it and partner agencies spend related to sanctions against drug traffickers, leading to potentially inaccurate estimates and a lack of transparency when reporting expenditures, the Government Accountability Office said. Although OFAC reports to Congress on the resources and personnel it uses when imposing Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act sanctions, it provides “limited guidance” to partner agencies on how to fulfill those same reporting requirements, the GAO said. Administration officials also said it is sometimes “impossible” to determine whether the sanctions are working.
Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with some of the top stories for Jan. 13-17 in case you missed them.
The Satellite Industry Association named Kirsten Shumway of Boeing chair of its export control working group, it said in a press release. SIA also named as its treasurer Ross Vincenti, who oversees “legal matters along with export and trade compliance” at Intelsat.