The Commerce Department is aiming to publish its advance notice of proposed rulemaking for foundational technologies before the end of September, said Rich Ashooh, the assistant secretary for export administration. “That’s kind of the goal,” Ashooh said, speaking during a Sept. 5 Materials Technical Advisory Committee meeting. “It’s really important for us to get there.”
Nixon Peabody hired John Sandweg, who was acting director of ICE in 2014, the law firm said in a news release. Sandweg most recently worked at Frontier Solutions, an "investigatory, compliance, due diligence, and crisis management firm he founded," the firm said. The law firm also brought on others from Frontier: counsel Rachel Winkler, associate Catherine Ingram, legal assistant Tracey Ford, and investigative directors Jerry Robinette and Miguel Unzueta. That team will be part of Nixon Peabody's new Cross-Border Risks team, it said. "The team comprises former Department of Homeland Security officials, federal investigators, regulators, law enforcement executives, and government affairs professionals who specialize in national security, immigration, Homeland Security compliance, cross-border regulatory, and international criminal matters," the firm said. "They provide valuable legal, regulatory, and reputational risks insight and counsel to help their clients build strong programs, handle crises, and manage risk on issues including anti-money laundering matters, import/export control, international sanctions work, and immigration for high-net-worth, global business leaders."
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade published detailed information and guidance on Australia's and the United Nations’ sanctions regimes, including a consolidated list of all sanctions targets. The page includes information on more than 20 of Australia's sanctions regimes, including specific actions that are prohibited and who is required to comply with the restrictions.
The Congressional Research Service issued a report on U.S.-Iran tensions and their impacts on U.S. policy, including scenarios wherein U.S. sanctions are strengthened. The report, released Aug 30, also includes a timeline of statements issued by Iranian and U.S. officials on sanctions, an explanation for the European Union’s “hesitancy to back the U.S. maximum pressure campaign” on Iran, and a series of consequences for the U.S. pulling out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control is seeking comments on its continuing information collection for its Hizballah Financial Sanctions Regulations Report on Closure by U.S. Financial Institutions of Correspondent Accounts and Payable-Through Accounts, OFAC said in a notice. OFAC is seeking comments about whether the report is “necessary for the proper performance of the functions” of OFAC, the “accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the collection of information,” ways to “enhance the quality” of the information collection, ways to “minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents and estimated costs “of services to provide information.” Comments are due Nov. 5.
The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control updated a frequently asked question and issued two new FAQs to provide guidance on the “bunkering of non-Iranian and Iranian vessels carrying goods to or from Iran,” OFAC said in a Sept. 5 notice. The FAQs address various scenarios when providing bunkering services to: Iranian ships, non-Iranian ships carrying sanctioned cargo, and non-Iranian ships carrying non-sanctioned cargo to or from Iran.
Iran’s foreign ministry sanctioned the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based think tank, Iran said in a Sept. 24 press release. Iran said it placed the FDD on its sanctions list because it is involved in “designing, imposing and intensifying the impacts of” U.S. sanctions against Iran. In a statement, the FDD said it “conducts independent research and analysis on national security issues” and considers any announcement from Iran's Islamic Republic regime of its inclusion on a blacklist a “badge of honor.”
The Commerce Department has been receiving fewer questions and complaints on export controls as it proceeds with the government’s Export Control Reform initiative, said Hillary Hess, director of the regulatory policy division at the Bureau of Industry and Security. The reform process, which began under the Obama administration and continues as Commerce prepares to release proposed export controls on emerging and foundational technologies (see 1909030037), has proved largely “effective,” Hess said. Hess said she uses the number of complaints from U.S. industry as a measurement.
Robert Monjay, previously the acting co-division chief of the Technology and Jurisdictional Analysis Division in the State Department Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, joined Akin Gump as senior counsel in the international trade practice, the law firm said in a news release. "Monjay is a former State Department policy official responsible for the application, amendment and interpretation of International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)," the firm said. "He held similar responsibilities while previously serving as a policy official in the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security."
Japan submitted "opinions and questions" to South Korea regarding South Korea’s plans to remove Japan from its list of trusted trading partners, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said in a Sept. 3 press release. Japan said if South Korea does not provide clarification on its measures or does not answer Japan’s questions, Japan will view South Korea’s actions as “arbitrary and illegitimate countermeasures,” the press release said.