“We are going to win so much” is a staple soundbite from President Donald Trump, and also representative of his administration’s approach to international negotiations. President Trump favors bilateral trade deals and has been optimistically touting the US as the UK’s first FTA partner after Brexit. From the UK’s perspective, Prime Minister Boris Johnson also … Continue Reading
On April 28, 2020, the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published in the Federal Register a Final Rule amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), 15 CFR parts 730-774. This new rule critically expands the licensing requirements for exports, reexports and transfers (in-country) of items subject to the EAR in three … Continue Reading
Effective at midnight China Standard Time on Saturday, March 28, 2020, China is temporarily suspending the entry of foreign nationals who hold a valid ordinary visa or residence permit.… Continue Reading
We have a global effort to help businesses understand the variety of impacts, on the legal, regulatory and commercial fronts, caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus.… Continue Reading
On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the novel coronavirus (2019 n-CoV) is a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). Countries have, therefore, been asked to report outbreaks of the virus and to keep the WHO informed of any measures being taken.… Continue Reading
On January 6, 2020, the US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published an interim final rule amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to make software specially designed to automate the analysis of geospatial imagery subject to the EAR and to impose a requirement of a license for the export and reexport of such software. The … Continue Reading
On October 8, 2019, the Secretary of State announced visa restrictions on Chinese government and Communist Party officials believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, the detention or abuse of Uighurs, Kazakhs or other members of Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang, China. Family members of named persons may also be subject to these restrictions. The visa restrictions support the Department … Continue Reading
In response to ongoing human rights violations, BIS announced that it would add 28 Chinese governmental and commercial organizations to the Entity List for engaging in or enabling activities contrary to the foreign policy interests of the US. This action targets those entities implicated in human rights violations and abuses in China’s campaign targeting Uighurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities … Continue Reading
George Grammas’s presentation on “Strengthening Trade Compliance in Line with Recent Legislative Developments and Impacts to Controls via an Examination of Extraterritorial Applications, Order of Review, and Classification” is now available in our Learning Center, in which you can also find other training resources and information.… Continue Reading
On January 31, 2019, the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that it has reached a settlement agreement with e.l.f. Cosmetics, Inc. in the amount of US$996,080 for potential civil liability relating to 156 apparent violations of North Korea Sanctions Regulations. The potential violations stem from importation of false eyelash kits from the People’s Republic of … Continue Reading
UPDATE: BIS is extending the public comments deadline on emerging technology export controls from December 19 this year to January 10, 2019, per an unpublished Federal Register notice released on December 13. The proposed rule will officially appear in the Federal Register on December 14. Posted on November 26, 2018 On November 19, 2018, the US … Continue Reading
Our international trade policy team recently published an analysis on the modernized North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), known as the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Below is a snapshot of the analysis.… Continue Reading
Status: Withdrawn and Abandoned Acquirer: China Heavy Duty Truck Group Co., Ltd. (China) Acquired: UQM Technologies, Inc. (US) Value: Approximately US$28.3 million Industry: Electric Vehicles… Continue Reading
Effective 15 April 2018 until 23 March 2025, the US Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) imposed a denial order of export privileges against Zhongxing Telecommunications Equipment Corporation of Shenzhen, China (ZTE Corporation) and ZTE Kangxun Telecommunications Ltd. of Hi-New Shenzhen, China (ZTE Kangxun) (collectively, ZTE). Additionally, both entities were added to the BIS Denied Persons List, … Continue Reading
Status: Withdrawn; Abandoned Acquirer: BlueFocus International Limited (Hong Kong SAR, China) Acquired: Cogint, Inc. (US) Value: Approx. US$100 million and non-cash consideration Industry: Technology Services; Network and Data Solutions… Continue Reading
Status Update: Abandoned Acquirer: Ant Financial (China) Acquired: MoneyGram International, Inc. (US) Value: US$880 million Industry: Financial Services… Continue Reading
