Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with the top stories from last week in case you missed them. You can find any article by searching the title or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.
The United Kingdom added four entities to its Myanmar sanctions regime, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation said in a Dec. 12 notice. The new entries are the Directorate for Defence Industries, the Directorate for Defence Procurement, the Myanmar War Veterans Organisation and the Quarter Master General Office. All four entities sit under the Myanmar Ministry of Defence, an entity responsible for the February coup in the Southeast Asian nation and for generally undermining democracy and the rule of law in Myanmar. The four are subject to an assets freeze.
The European Union amended the criteria under its Mali sanctions regime, adding the ability to autonomously impose restrictive measures on individuals and entities culpable for "threatening the peace, security or stability of Mali, or for obstructing the implementation of its political transition," the European Council said. The move allows the EU to impose sanctions, whereas until now it could only put into legislation any sanctions decisions made by the United Nations. The change also follows up on a Foreign Affairs Council agreement that intended to establish a framework for sanctions on Mali in support of the Economic Community of West African States' restrictive measures on Malian transition authorities.
The European Commission removed Jean-Claude Kazembe Musonda from its Democratic Republic of the Congo sanctions regime, per a Dec. 10 implementing regulation replacing the list of sanctioned individuals. Failing to appear on the updated list, Musonda -- the former governor of Haut-Katanga province and a leader of the CONAKAT party -- was removed due to his death in July.
The European Union imposed sanctions against the Wagner Group, a "Russia-based unincorporated private military entity," the European Council said in a Dec. 13 press release. Including an asset freeze and travel ban, the restrictive measures apply to the Wagner group itself along with eight individuals and three entities related to the group. The EC declared that the Wagner Group has trained and sent private military operatives to hot spots around the world to "fuel violence, loot natural resources and intimidate civilians in violation of international law." Areas where the Wagner Group have operated include Libya, Syria, the Central African Republic and the Sahel region. The sanctions were arranged under four different sanctions regimes: the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime; the sanctions regimes for Libya and Syria; and the regime for undermining Ukraine's territorial integrity, the EC said.
The U.S. may need to consider new multilateral sanctions against Russia for its continued military aggression in Ukraine, the leaders of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said Dec. 13. Committee Chair Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., and ranking member Michael McCaul, R-Texas., said the U.S. can make “no concessions” for Russia at the “expense” of Ukraine’s sovereignty. “We stand ready to work with the Administration and our transatlantic allies to deter further Russian aggression against Ukraine,” the lawmakers said, “including by imposing serious new sanctions on Russia should it continue its invasion into Ukraine.”
The G-7 countries, along with the European Union, said Russia will see “massive consequences and severe cost in response” if it pursues further military actions in Ukraine, in a statement Dec. 13. While the countries didn’t specifically mention sanctions, Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said he is working with the U.S. and the U.K. on potentially imposing a new set of designations. “We are studying together with the U.S. and the U.K. what [sanctions] could be, when and how, in a coordinated manner,” Borrell told reporters Dec. 13, according to Reuters. The G-7 countries called on Russia to “de-escalate, pursue diplomatic channels, and abide by its international commitments on transparency of military activities” or risk countermeasures. “We will intensify our cooperation on our common and comprehensive response,” the countries said.
Although the Bureau of Industry and Security’s new cybersecurity controls are an improvement over the restrictions proposed in 2015, the agency should still take several steps to ensure they don’t impede U.S. technology companies and inhibit information sharing in the cybersecurity sector, industry said this month. But at least one commenter said BIS should strengthen the controls by restricting a broader set of technologies and require more due diligence steps for exporters.
The United Kingdom amended three entries on its Yemen sanctions regime, the Office of Financial Sanctions said in a Dec. 9 notice. The three are Muhammad Abd Al-Karim Al-Ghamari, Houthi chief of general staff; Yusuf Al-Madani, Houthi's Fifth Military Region commander; and Saleh Mesfer Saleh Al Shaer, judicial custodian of properties and funds owned by Houthi opponents. The three were added in November (see 2111120027).
The European Commission on Dec. 10 posted the recording of its annual export control forum, along with presentation materials from speakers. The forum, held Dec. 8, included updates on the European Union’s cyber-surveillance export guidelines and its e-licensing regime for dual-use exports, along with presentations from industry and academics about export control compliance concerns (see 2112080031, 2112090010, 2112090043 and 2112090049).