The U.K. in September reached a 620,000 pound (about $820,000) settlement with a British exporter for illegal exports of military goods, the country’s Export Control Joint Unit said Dec. 1. The agency didn’t release more information. ECJU said it offers settlements in cases where the breach was inadvertent or “due to weaknesses in internal controls,” or where the exporter voluntarily disclosed the violation.
The Trump administration intends to address sanctions in a plan it is preparing to counter violence against Christians in Nigeria, a State Department official told the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa Nov. 20.
Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, reintroduced a bill Nov. 20 that would authorize the president to sanction foreign individuals and companies that are most responsible for exacerbating climate change and deforestation.
The U.K. on Nov. 28 amended the entry under its Russia sanctions list for Sergey Vladimirovich Mikhailov. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation changed the listing to say that he's sanctioned due to his former role as director general of the state-affiliated TASS news agency.
The U.K. issued a new general license under its Russia sanctions list, allowing non-sanctioned individuals or entities to continue business operations with Lukoil International, the international business arm of major Russian energy firm Lukoil, and its related subsidiaries. The license runs from Nov. 27 to Feb. 26. Under the license, non-sanctioned parties may make payments to or receive payments from Lukoil and its subsidiaries under any existing or new obligations or contracts, and provide or receive economic resources from Lukoil.
The State Department completed interagency review last week for a final rule involving an exemption within the International Traffic in Arms Regulations for defense trade between the AUKUS nations of Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. The rule, sent for interagency review in September (see 2509120027) could build on the agency's August 2024 interim final rule, which created the exemption to reduce certain export control barriers under the ITAR (see 2408160019).
Advanced technology and AI companies largely supported the Commerce Department’s new effort to create a program aimed at increasing U.S. exports of AI technologies and services, with some saying companies should commit to "rigorous" export compliance conditions before being allowed to participate. One company said the U.S. should require businesses to automate their compliance for exports involving certain dual-use AI models, saying manual compliance presents too many “failure points.”
Law firms are advising clients of changes to Mexican customs laws that begin Jan. 1, including that customs brokers will be liable if their clients provide false or inaccurate information.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., introduced a bill last month that would require the president to sanction foreign entities and individuals who intentionally damage subsea fiber optic cables.
Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, reintroduced a bill Nov. 20 that aims to protect American companies that are sued in federal court for complying with U.S. sanctions and export controls against Russia.