On 20 September, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) authorising broad new economic sanctions against North Korea, by targeting those dealing with the country. The Order, EO 13810, adds to the existing US embargo of North Korea by authorising the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to impose blocking sanctions against any person found to be participating … Continue Reading
On 28 December 2016, the US President issued Executive Order (EO) 13757 to amend a 2015 EO authorising the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to impose sanctions for significant malicious cyber-enabled activities. Intended to address alleged Russian tampering in the US elections, EO 13575 expands the scope of the 2015 EO … 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
Following through on one of his campaign promises, on Monday, January 23, President Donald Trump signed a memorandum formally withdrawing the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. It is anticipated that President Trump may issue a separate document regarding the United States’ intent to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as early as … Continue Reading
The U.S. House of Representatives will reconvene on Monday, 14 November, and the U.S. Senate the following day. TPP – Administration Still Stumping. In a call on 3 November, Ambassador Froman reiterated the Obama Administration is still aiming for a lame-duck congressional vote on the TPP deal, but he did not offer any details on … Continue Reading
The U.S. Congress returns to Washington on Tuesday after a six-week recess. On Monday, Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tennessee) issued a statement on the perceived lack of strong U.S. leadership, setting the stage for potentially-increased Republican oversight this fall: Just as we saw our allies in Europe dissing us over the … Continue Reading
North Korea – New U.S. Sanctions Announced. On Wednesday, the Obama Administration announced sanctions designations targeting senior North Korean officials, including Kim Jong Un. The U.S. Department of State issued a report identifying individuals and entities responsible or associated with serious human rights abuses or censorship in North Korea. In tandem, the U.S. Department of … Continue Reading
OFAC has issued new regulations (at 31 C.F.R. Part 554) implementing the President’s Executive Order 13712, of 22 November 2015, imposing sanctions against Burundi. The sanctions consist of measures blocking property and interests in property of persons listed in or designated pursuant to Executive Order 13712, published in the Federal Register and incorporated into OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked … Continue Reading
South Korea, the EU and US imposed or strengthened sanctions against North Korea in March. South Korea’s sanctions include an asset freeze on, and a restriction on business dealings with, 38 individuals and 24 entities in North Korea alleged to be responsible for the development of weapons of mass destruction. Further sanctions were imposed against two individuals and six … Continue Reading
