The Bureau of Industry and Security December rule (see 2012220053) that removed Hong Kong as a separate destination under the Export Administration Regulations has implications for EAR requirements but does not impact certain Census Bureau reporting requirements, Census said. In a Dec. 29 email to industry, Census said the BIS rule does not change Census' Foreign Trade Regulations ultimate consignee, country of destination and intermediate consignee reporting requirements, which contribute to certain trade statistics.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned a Venezuelan judge and prosecutor for presiding over the prosecution of the “Citgo 6,” the six U.S. citizens who were “unjustly imprisoned” in Venezuela in 2017, OFAC said Dec. 30. The designations target Judge Lorena Carolina Cornielles Ruiz and prosecutor Ramon Antonio Torres Espinoza. OFAC said the trials of the six Citgo executives were based on “politically motivated charges and marred by a lack of fair trial guarantees.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency will continue export restrictions for an amended list of personal protective equipment, FEMA said in a temporary final rule released Dec. 30. The rule, which now also includes syringes and hypodermic needles that deliver vaccines, expands on two previous versions issued by FEMA this year (see 2008060061 and 2004080018) and renews the export restrictions -- which were scheduled to expire Dec. 31 -- through June 30, 2021.
Denmark-based Danske Bank is no longer being investigated by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control for potential sanctions violations, it said in a Dec. 19 news release. Authorities in Denmark, the U.S., Estonia and France were investigating the bank in connection with a money-laundering scandal, Reuters reported Dec. 15. The bank said OFAC “decided to close its investigation” in relation to “the Estonia case” but may take “future enforcement action should new or additional information warrant renewed attention.” A Treasury spokesperson declined to comment.
FedEx issued a December alert on its services and policies for shipping to Hong Kong and China items that are controlled by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. The company said its policies reflect changes the Donald Trump administration made in July to increase licensing restrictions and end preferential treatment for controlled shipments to Hong Kong (see 2007150019). FedEx said exporters that obtained a State Department license before the July restrictions were announced cannot use its International Controlled Export service option to ship certain controlled goods to Hong Kong because the restrictions suspended all license exceptions. The company also said it “cannot accept ITAR items” that are prohibited by its “service guides,” including firearms, weaponry and certain parts. “Even if the customer has properly obtained the required license/permit for exporting the weapons, these cannot be transported on FedEx Express International Services and service options,” the company said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control fined a Saudi bank more than $650,000 for violating U.S. sanctions against Sudan and Syria, a Dec. 28 notice said. OFAC said Saudi Arabia-based National Commercial Bank (NCB) illegally processed 13 transactions worth nearly $6 million.
Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with the top stories for Dec. 21-24 in case you missed them. You can find any article by searching on the title or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.
The Treasury and State departments issued guidance on President Donald Trump’s November decision to ban investment in Chinese firms with ties to the country’s military. Treasury issued a list of Chinese military companies and published five new frequently asked questions to offer compliance on the ban, which takes effect Jan. 11, 2021 (see 2011130026).
The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation removed Rafidain Bank from its Iraq sanctions list, a Dec. 24 notice said. The U.K. said the Iraq government owns the bank, which also has branches in the Middle East and Africa, but the London branch “is in provisional liquidation.” It is no longer subject to an assets freeze.
Although the European Union and the United Kingdom reached a last-minute trade deal Dec. 24 to avoid a hard Brexit, the agreement will not necessarily translate into a smooth U.K. exit, law firms said, and companies still should prepare for a host of trade issues come Jan. 1. “Important changes and some logistical disruption will remain inevitable,” White & Case said in a Dec. 28 alert.