The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach again postponed a new surcharge meant to incentivize the movement of dwelling containers, the two ports announced Dec. 13. The ports originally planned to begin imposing the fee Nov. 15 (see 2111030027) but have postponed it several times (see 2111290039 and 2112060041). Both ports said they've seen a combined decline of 47% in aging cargo on their docks since the fee was announced in October (see 2110280031). The latest extension delays the effective date to Dec. 20.
Ian Cohen
Ian Cohen, Deputy Managing Editor, is a reporter with Export Compliance Daily and its sister publications International Trade Today and Trade Law Daily, where he covers export controls, sanctions and international trade issues. He previously worked as a local government reporter in South Florida. Ian graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Florida in 2017 and lives in Washington, D.C. He joined the staff of Warren Communications News in 2019.
Although the Bureau of Industry and Security’s new cybersecurity controls are an improvement over the restrictions proposed in 2015, the agency should still take several steps to ensure they don’t impede U.S. technology companies and inhibit information sharing in the cybersecurity sector, industry said this month. But at least one commenter said BIS should strengthen the controls by restricting a broader set of technologies and require more due diligence steps for exporters.
The U.S.’s new multilateral export control initiative includes a written “code of conduct” for licensing decisions for sensitive exports and new partnerships with allies to better control emerging technologies. The U.S. effort, previewed earlier this week ahead of the virtual democracy summit (see 2112090030), was officially announced Dec. 10 alongside Australia, Denmark and Norway, and includes support from other trading partners, including Canada, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed investment restrictions on SenseTime Group Ltd., a major Chinese technology company, and sanctioned 15 people and 10 other companies for human rights abuses, the agency said Dec. 10. SenseTime, which had prepared to price shares Dec. 10 in its initial public offering in Hong Kong, will now be subject to a U.S. investment ban and added to OFAC’s list of companies with ties to China’s military (see 2106030067).
The European Union should better align its definition of “basic scientific research” with the U.S.'s to create a more level playing field under U.S. and EU export regulations, said Aude Jalabert of the European Semiconductor Industry Association. Jalabert, speaking during the EU’s annual export control forum Dec. 8, said the EU’s definition is “stricter and maybe more narrow than some foreign definitions,” and only exempts “very basic technology and research fields.”
Universities need more guidance from the European Union to comply with its new dual-use export control regulations, said Katleen Janssen of the League of European Research Universities. Janssen, speaking during the EU’s annual export control forum Dec. 8, said researchers especially struggle to meet compliance requirements associated with emerging technologies and research sharing.
The U.S this week imposed an arms embargo and new, broad export restrictions on Cambodia in response to government corruption and human rights abuses. The restrictions, released Dec. 8 by the Commerce and the State departments and effective Dec. 9, will apply more stringent controls on a range of dual-use and military-related exports to the country (see 2112020015).
The European Commission is finalizing the first draft of its export control guidance for cyber-surveillance tools and aims to publish the final version by September, said Carla Farcas-Hutchinson, a European Union trade official. The commission had hoped to finish the guidance this year (see 2012140049), but significant input from member states pushed back the timeline.
The U.S.’s new anti-corruption strategy, coupled with its democracy summit later this week, could convince more allies to adopt Global Magnitsky sanctions regimes, former U.S. officials said. They said the administration’s plans to pursue more multilateral sanctions and trade restrictions at the summit could build a more united front to address global corruption and human rights abuses.
The Biden administration unveiled a new strategy to counter corruption, and officials said they are planning new sanctions in the coming days to target corrupt actors and other international criminals. As part of the strategy, which came after a 200-day review by federal agencies to determine how the U.S. can better curb illicit finance, the administration will increase anti-corruption work at the Treasury, State and Commerce departments, according to a Dec. 6 White House fact sheet. The U.S. also will take “meaningful steps” to stop corrupt actors from using the U.S. and the international financial systems.