The EU levied its ninth package of economic and individual sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. The new restrictions, announced by the European Council Dec. 16, impose export controls on dual-use goods, expand sanctions on banking and broadcasting firms in Russia, set a new ban on investment in the Russian mining sector and add a "significant number" of new financial designations.
The U.K. imposed antidumping duties on aluminum extrusions from China, in a Dec. 16 notice. The duties apply to bars, rods, profiles, tubes and "pipes; unassembled; whether or not prepared for use in structures (for example cut to length, drilled, bent, chamfered, threaded); made from aluminium whether or not alloyed, containing not more than 99.3% aluminium."
The Netherlands is considering eliminating value-added taxes on vegetables and fruit and could implement the change as soon as 2024, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service said in a Dec. 14 report. The move, meant to “stimulate a healthier diet for Dutch consumers,” has been met “with several challenges,” USDA said, and the country is not sure how to “differentiate products that are or are not eligible for a reduced VAT rate.” The government also said imports could be “especially susceptible to fraud” if fruits and vegetables are “commingled” with other products, and would likely need to be subject to strict customs scrutiny. If the Netherlands follows through with the measure, it could reduce prices for a consumer base that spends nearly 25% of their food purchases on vegetables and fruit, USDA said.
The U.K. adopted new financial and trade sanctions against Russia Dec. 15, barring the provision of trust services to, or for the benefit of, a designated individual or entity, and the provision of new trust services to or for the benefit of, a person connected with Russia. The restrictions further amend existing sanctions on securities or money market instruments and loans and credit arrangements to a person linked to Russia, as well as suspend the Bank of England's duty to "make a decision in respect of a notification of third-country resolution action in respect of designated persons or persons owned or controlled by designated persons."
U.K. Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, with the prime minister's approval, appointed a new permanent secretary to the Department for International Trade, the DIT announced Dec. 14. Gareth Davies succeeds James Bowler, who became permanent secretary to the Treasury in October. Most recently, Davies served as second permanent secretary at the Department for Transport.
The EU added 24 individuals and five entities to its sanctions regime against Iran in response to the repression of ongoing protests and provision of military assistance to Russia. Twenty of the individuals and one of the entities were subjected to an asset freeze and travel ban for aiding in the crackdown on protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, the European Council said. Four of the individuals and four of the entities were added to the restrictions list for their role in supplying Russia with unmanned aerial vehicles to aid in the war against Ukraine. The council said it plans to impose sanctions on another entity for these same reasons.
The U.K. has made small corrections to various sanctions listings under its Myanmar, Global Human Rights and Global Anti-Corruption sanctions regimes, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation announced. Under the Myanmar sanctions list, OFSI corrected the entry for the 99th Light Infantry Division, an entity it originally listed Dec. 9. For the Global Human Rights restrictions, OFSI corrected the entries for Kale Kayihura and Artur Shambazov -- entries that also were listed on Dec. 9. Under the Global Anti-Corruption sanctions regime, OFSI corrected the entry for Veselinovic Zvonko.
The U.K. added 15 individuals and one entity to its Russia sanctions regime Dec. 13, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation announced. The individuals are businessmen and government officials responsible for arming the Russian military with unmanned aerial vehicles for the war in Ukraine. The entity is Oje Parvaz Mado Nafar Co., an Iranian business that provides UAVs for the Russian military. The Dec. 13 notice also amended the entry for Said Mikhailovich Gutseriev.
The EU added eight individuals and four entities to its sanctions regime on North Korea for their role in the development of ballistic missiles. The new entries provided "support and funds for DPRK's nuclear-related and ballistic-missile related programmes," the European Council said. The listings include two oil tankers and delivery vessels and the North Korean Ministry of Rocket Industry. Restrictions now apply to 73 individuals and 17 entities and amount to an asset freeze and travel ban.
The U.K.'s Export Control Joint Unit -- a wing of its Department for International Trade -- said it issued 12 "compound settlement offers" between May and October for unlicensed exports of dual-use goods, military goods and related activity. The settlements range from $1,228 to $333,765. The ECJU did not provide details of the settlements, only describing each as relating to either the "unlicensed exports of military goods," breaches of license conditions over the export of dual-use goods, or "unlicensed exports of dual-use goods."