The United Kingdom carried over another five antidumping and countervailing duties from the European Union in a flurry of trade remedy notices following the U.K.'s departure from the EU:
The United Kingdom's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation added one entry to its Libya sanctions regime in an Oct. 26 financial sanctions notice. Osama Al-Kuni Ibrahim was placed under an asset freeze and a travel ban for his role as de facto manager of the Al Nasr detention center, responsible directly or indirectly for violating international human rights law.
The United Kingdom carried over 15 antidumping and countervailing duties from the European Union in a flurry of trade remedy notices following the U.K.'s departure from the EU:
The European Union amended the criteria for its Democratic Republic of the Congo sanctions regime, adding involvement in "planning, directing, sponsoring or participating in attacks against ... medical personnel or humanitarian personnel" to the criteria for adding individuals and entities to the list. Before the update, the sanctions criteria only included involvement in attacks on the United Nations Organization Mission peacekeepers and U.N. personnel. The move aligns the EU's DRC sanctions criteria with those of the U.N.
The United Kingdom added Uzbekistan to its Enhanced Framework, which allows the Central Asian country to receive preferential rates of import duty under the U.K.'s Generalized Scheme of Preferences, the Department for International Trade said Oct. 25. Uzbekistan has met the U.K.'s economic vulnerability criteria and it is "effectively implementing the Schedule 2 conventions," DIT said. The new rates will kick off Nov. 1, when Uzbekistan's admission begins; on Jan. 1, 2022, the regulation laying out the terms will then be included in Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the Enhanced Framework.
The European Union amended the criteria for its Central African Republic sanctions regime, adding involvement in "planning, directing, sponsoring or committing acts in the CAR that violate international humanitarian law, including attacks against medical personnel or humanitarian personnel" to the criteria for adding individuals and entities to the list. The move aligns the EU's CAR sanctions criteria with those of the United Nations.
The United Kingdom will hold its first International Trade Week, designed to showcase events and workshops available to all UK businesses hosted by "expert trade advisors, Parliamentarians and Ministers," the Department for International Trade said. DIT is encouraging companies looking to export for the first time to attend. Running Nov. 15-19, the trade week will provide advise to businesses looking to begin or expand their exporting operations and show that "businesses who export are more producing and pay their staff more," DIT said.
The United Kingdom's International Trade Secretary, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, called on the G-7 to build resilience in critical supply chains for a post-pandemic world, the Department for International Trade said. Addressing G-7 trade ministers in London at their first in-person meeting since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Trevelyan also made the case against protectionism and pushed for "measures such as better monitoring and cooperation to quickly identify and address bottlenecks where they arise." At the G-7 meeting, the ministers are expected to agree to a set of Digital Trade Principles and issue a joint statement on forced labor.
Countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development agreed to a ban on export credits for coal-fired electricity projects leading up to the COP26 summit, the European Union said Oct. 22. The goal for the implementation of the project is the end of this month, once all participating countries have finished their internal ratification processes. The European Commission cited its support since January for ending support for coal export credits as a driving force in its support of the new ban, also pointing to its Trade Policy Review proposal that called for an immediate end to export credit support for the entire coal-fired power sector.
The United Kingdom launched a new Trade and Agriculture Commission to review new trade deals to ensure that British agricultural standards are maintained, the Department for International Trade said. The original commission recommended changes for the new TAC, which includes international "agri-food attaches" who will work internationally to boost export opportunities for U.K. farmers and producers while providing "market intelligence and technical expertise," DIT said. A new Food and Drink Export Council will work with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to boost exports from every part of the U.K. Lorand Bartels, international law professional at the University of Cambridge, will chair TAC, which will have a "formal role to inform Parliamentarians and the public about how new Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) are consistent with UK laws on animal welfare, animal and plant health, and the environment," DIT said. A report will be issued ahead of the signing of every new FTA.