On 21 November, the UK government published the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill, the stated aim of which is to “allow the UK to set and collect its own duty on goods coming into the country and will allow the government to implement different outcomes of the EU negotiations, including an implementation period”. The government announcement … Continue Reading
In November, the UK passed the Venezuela (European Union Financial Sanctions) Regulations 2017. The regulations follow the EU’s recent sanctions on Venezuela as part of Council Regulation (EU) 2017/2063. They cover offences, penalties and other provisions, such as reporting obligations. On 15 November, the UK Department for International Trade published a notice to exporters (Notice … Continue Reading
On 7 November, the UK government published the Trade Bill, having introduced it to Parliament for its First Reading. Together with the Customs Bill, it is designed to give the UK the powers necessary to bring existing EU trade agreements into UK statute. The bill also establishes a new independent body called the Trade Remedies … Continue Reading
On 30 November, the EU amended its Russia prohibitions to allow “[t]he provision, directly or indirectly, of technical assistance, financing or financial assistance” related to the sale, supply, transfer or export and the import, purchase or transport of hydrazine in concentrations of 70% or more, provided that it is for named purposes concerning the ExoMars … Continue Reading
On 23 November, the EU Trade Committee voted to extend EU export controls to include cyber-surveillance technologies (i.e. ones that could be used not only for civilian purposes, but also in violation of human rights). The new rules would essentially modernise the existing dual-use regulation (428/2009) to encompass cyber-surveillance items that might be used as … Continue Reading
On 13 November, the Foreign Affairs Council of the EU adopted conclusions on Venezuela, including the imposition of an arms embargo. On the back of a UN report that described a “worsening human rights situation … within a wider severe economic and social crisis in the country and an increasingly unstable and polarized national political … Continue Reading
On 8 November, the EU General Court delivered judgements in the cases of Klymenko v Council (case T-245/15) and Ivanyushchenko v Council (case T-246/15). These cases concerned two individuals designated as “persons identified as responsible for the misappropriation of Ukrainian State funds and persons responsible for human rights violations” and, therefore, subject to restrictive measures … Continue Reading
On 7 November 2017, the UK Government published the Trade Bill, having introduced it to Parliament for its First Reading. Together with the Customs Bill, it is designed to give the UK the powers necessary to bring existing EU trade agreements into UK statute so that when the UK officially withdraws from the EU, businesses … Continue Reading
On September 13, 2017, the European Commission published the draft of the EU regulation establishing a common European framework for the review of incoming foreign direct investment (FDI), akin to the process in the US administered by Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS).… Continue Reading
The House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee published a report on the UK’s relations with Russia, which examines sanctions on Russia. The report highlights that “recent developments in both the EU and the US have put the future of the sanctions regime in doubt”. It goes on to add that “as the UK is among the … Continue Reading
In a parliamentary debate on Eastern Ukraine, UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson announced that the UK will be introducing a bill “on how we will continue to take part in sanctions jointly with our friends and partners across the channel”. Boris Johnson also stated that the UK “already leads the way in imposing sanctions on … Continue Reading
Following the coming into force of Part 8 of the Policing and Crime Act 2017, which introduces new monetary penalties for breaches of financial sanctions, OFSI has published guidance on the new regime, including: Guidance on monetary penalties for breaches of financial sanctions A response to OFSI’s consultation on the process for imposing monetary penalties … Continue Reading
On 21 April, the UK government launched a public consultation on its proposals for domestic sanctions legislation. The consultation sets out the UK government’s thinking on the overarching legal powers the UK will need to impose its own domestic sanctions once the UK leaves the EU. The consultation is scheduled to run for nine weeks … Continue Reading
The UK government’s Department of International Trade Export Control Organisation (ECO) will put on this year’s Export Control Symposium on Tuesday 21 March at the Westminster Conference Centre. The symposium will include plenary session covering wide ranging global trading issues, four specialist workshops, and networking “village” for delegates and exhibitors.… Continue Reading
The EU has announced its intention to renew the asset freezing measures imposed on the 48 individuals listed on its sanctions against Tunisia on the grounds of their “responsibility for misappropriating state funds”. At the time of this bulletin, these measures are set to expire on 31 January 2017. The EU’s notices to the listed … Continue Reading
The EU has implemented the UN’s recent sanctions listings in regard to North Korea, and has added 10 entities and 11 people to the list of persons subject to an asset freeze and travel ban. The EU has also removed duplicate entries created by the addition of the new names to its UN-designations annex. Commission … Continue Reading
On 19 December, the European Council extended the application of economic sanctions targeting specific sectors of the Russian economy for a further six months until 31 July 2017. These restrictions were introduced on 31 July 2014 by way of Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 “concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in … Continue Reading
The European Council has amended its sanctions against Syria in order to allow for the otherwise prohibited purchase or transportation of oil and petroleum products in Syria, where the sole purpose is to provide humanitarian relief or assistance to the Syrian population. The amendments also include a corresponding derogation from the asset freeze and travel … Continue Reading
By judgment of 24 January 2017, the UK Supreme Court has dismissed the government’s appeal against the Divisional Court’s judgment in R (on the application of Miller & Dos Santos) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. The court has held that parliamentary authority in the form of an Act of Parliament is required for the government … Continue Reading
On Friday, 20 January, businessman Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States of America. At the inauguration ceremony, President Trump stated: From this moment on, it’s going to be America First. Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American … Continue Reading
The ECO has updated and amended five OGELs following an update to the EU dual-use list, which was published in the EU Official Journal, on 15 November 2016. The updates include changes to the goods schedule of each relevant licence. Of note, Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia have been removed from the list of excluded destinations … Continue Reading
In its annual report, the FCO recognises that the UK played an instrumental role in ensuring that the EU remained united in upholding sanctions on Russia, in promoting sanctions on ISIS and in negotiating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal with Iran. According to the report “while there has been good progress … Continue Reading
The EU Council has imposed sanctions on 18 Syrian ministers, as well as the Governor of the Central Bank of Syria, for being “responsible for the violent repression against the civilian population” in Syria or benefitting from or supporting the Syrian regime. These new listings bring the total number of people and entities subject to … Continue Reading
Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on 8 November in what many are describing as an upset. President-Elect Trump’s transition team is now tasked with vetting possible Cabinet officials and lower-level appointees, receiving background briefings from the Obama Administration, and crafting policy proposals based on his campaign … Continue Reading
