Fifteen former and current Venezuela government officials were charged by the U.S. Justice Department for corruption and drug trafficking, including several charges for sanctions and export control violations, the agency said in a March 26 news release. In addition to narco-terrorism charges against Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, separate indictments charge Tareck Zaidan El Aissami Maddah, Venezuela’s vice president for the economy; Joselit Ramirez Camacho, superintendent of crypto currency; and Samark Lopez Bello, a Venezuelan businessman, with evasion of U.S. sanctions. Maddah and Camacho worked with U.S. people and companies to provide flight services to benefit Maduro’s 2018 presidential campaign, which violated U.S. sanctions against Maduro’s election efforts.
The Trump administration should be doing more to restrict sales of emerging technologies to China, lawmakers said in interviews earlier this month. Senators commended the administration for increasing foreign direct investment restrictions (see 2002260042) and going further than previous administrations in confronting China’s unfair trade practices, but said they will continue pushing for tighter restrictions.
Arent Fox issued an export control reference guide with governments that have imposed export restrictions on personal protective equipment due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, according to a March 27 post. The law firm recently updated the list to include export control measures imposed by Bahrain, Canada, Kenya, New Zealand and Vietnam, and updated information for controls imposed by India, Singapore and Turkey.
Switzerland is requiring a prior license for exports of medical protective equipment to countries outside the European Union and European Free Trade Association, according to a March 26 post from Baker McKenzie. The announcement stemmed from an increased need for the equipment in Switzerland, the law firm said, including masks, gloves, glasses and overcoats. The measures are aimed at aligning Switzerland’s export control regime with the EU, which announced similar measures (see 2003200029).
Canada, Australia and five other countries issued a joint statement saying they are committed to keeping trade lanes open and stressed the importance of refraining from imposing export controls during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trade should continue to “flow unimpeded” during the pandemic and should not hamper global air and sea ports, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Myanmar, New Zealand and Singapore said in a March 25 joint statement. “We recognise that it is in our mutual interest to ensure that trade lines remain open, including via air and sea freight, to facilitate the flow of goods including essential supplies,” the countries said.
The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls issued a reminder that its interim final rule that revised the International Traffic in Arms Regulations to provide definitions for activities that are not exports, re-exports, retransfers or temporary imports took effect March 25 (see 1912230052), the agency said in a notice. DDTC also reissued a guidance for the rule (see 2002210019), which makes significant changes to encrypted data controls (see 1912300024 and 2002280050).
The Commerce Department extended the public comment period for feedback on future temporary general license extensions under the Export Administration Regulations (see 2003100070), the agency said in a notice. The comments, which were originally due March 25, are now due April 22. The comments will determine the “continuing need” and the scope for future extensions for the temporary general license for Huawei, Commerce said in a March 25 press release.
A Pennsylvania chemicals company agreed to pay a $450,000 fine for failing to notify the Drug Enforcement Administration of certain imports and exports, according to a March 25 Justice Department news release. The company, Ungerer & Company, violated reporting obligations on a “number of occasions” after it completed international shipments of chemicals that can be used to “manufacture illicit controlled substances.” In addition to the fine, the company agreed to a three-year agreement with the DEA to implement remedial measures, including submissions of “certain delinquent forms on its shipments” and the implementation of a system to train employees to avoid future reporting violations. The company must also submit quarterly certifications to the DEA to prove it is complying with reporting obligations.
The United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade updated its guidance on trade sanctions on Somalia, according to a March 25 notice. The guidance was updated to include “components for improvised explosive devices,” the DIT said. The guidance will apply until Dec. 31, 2020.
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned 20 Iranian and Iraqi front companies, officials and business associates that support the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Qods Force, Treasury said in a March 26 press release. The sanctioned parties also participated in smuggling, money laundering and illegal oil sales. Among the sanctioned parties are Iraq-based Al Khamael Maritime Services, Iran- and Iraq-based Mada’in Novin Traders and Iran-based Middle East Saman Chemical Company.