The Bureau of Industry and Security this week published the third quarterly update of its boycott requester list, a list of entities that have asked other companies to boycott goods from certain countries in violation of the Export Administration Regulations.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Dec. 30 released quarterly reports on certain licensing activities for Iran and Sudan, covering the period from October 2022 through September 2024. The reports provide licensing statistics for exports of agricultural goods, medicine and medical devices to both countries as required by the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000.
Space industry associations and companies largely welcomed a recent State Department proposal to modernize U.S. space-related export controls, although they asked for several clarifications, fewer export control guardrails and an extended timeline to allow space firms to update their compliance programs.
Covington lawyers expect the upcoming Polish presidency of the Council of the EU, running from January to June, to make “significant strides” around technology and trade issues, the firm said in a December client alert.
The Netherlands said it’s seeing an uptick in exports of sanctioned goods to countries with a history of helping Russia evade sanctions, with many of those exports being sent by smaller firms that entered the market within the last couple of years.
The EU this month issued new guidance on its sanctions for importing Russian diamonds, describing the types of diamonds subject to trade restrictions, explaining how the restrictions apply to jewelry that incorporates Russian diamonds, outlining a new mandatory diamond traceability mechanism, and more.
A nationwide injunction stopping the Corporate Transparency Act’s beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements from taking effect was reinstated last week, making it so certain companies won't have to comply with the law's reporting rules next month.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is proposing to list e 4-chloromethcathinone, a central nervous system stimulant, under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in a notice released Dec. 27. “If finalized, this action would impose the regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions applicable to schedule I controlled substances on persons who handle (manufacture, distribute, reverse distribute, import, export, engage in research, conduct instructional activities or chemical analysis with, or possess) or propose to handle 4-chloromethcathinone.” Comments are due Jan. 29.
China’s Foreign Ministry announced new sanctions last week against seven companies for their involvement with arms sales to Taiwan, targeting Insitu, Hudson Technologies, Saronic Technologies, Raytheon Canada, Raytheon Australia, Aerkomm and Oceaneering International. The ministry said the sanctions freeze their Chinese assets and block them from doing certain business with Chinese companies. China has issued several rounds of designations against American firms for arms sales to Taiwan in recent months (see 2412050011, 2410100005, 2409180004 and 2407120011).
The U.S. on Dec. 27 sanctioned Bidzina Ivanishvili, a Georgian oligarch and former Georgian prime minister. The State Department said Ivanishvili was sanctioned for "undermining the democratic and Euro-Atlantic future of Georgia for the benefit of" Russia, and he has also contributed to human rights abuses in the country.