President Donald Trump said the U.S. will increase sanctions on Iran after his administration suggested Iran was behind an attack on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities.
Legislative discussions continue for how to shape legislation in order to regain control of trade policy from the Trump administration as the legislative branch is further pushed to the sidelines, a former senior U.S. trade negotiator said. Barbara Weisel, former assistant U.S. trade representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, said Congress is beginning to question how it can retake its constitutionally granted powers over trade, which have been overtaken by the Trump administration and its preference for bilateral negotiations. “One has to believe there are many members of Congress now who are debating and quietly discussing how they are going to adjust this issue,” Weisel said during a Sept. 17 event at the Brookings Institution in Washington, focused on the "America First" trade policy with regard to Japan and Taiwan. “And I think it’s about time.”
The Treasury Department released its proposed regulations for the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018, granting expanded authorities to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, Treasury said in a Sept. 17 press release.
The United Nations Security Council renewed sanctions on the Central African Republic until Jan. 21, 2020, in a Sept. 12 resolution. The resolution continues an arms embargo against the country but removes restrictions on certain exports, including protective clothing temporarily exported to the CAR by UN personnel, humanitarian aid workers or members of the media for personal use only; supplies of non-lethal military equipment for humanitarian use; and supplies of “small arms ... intended solely for use in international-led patrols.”
The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls IT Modernization team is updating the third-party function of its Defense Export Control and Compliance System (DECCS) application, the DDTC said Sept. 16. The changes, which take effect Sept. 20, will require third-party users to “use a dedicated account to access a company’s information,” the DDTC said. If users need “access to multiple companies” as a third party, they can register “multiple accounts using unique email addresses,” the DDTC said. Questions should be directed to the Defense Trade Application System help desk at dtradehelpdesk@state.gov or (202) 663-2838.
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned three people and 16 entities for involvement with the Nicolas Maduro-led regime in Venezuela, Treasury said in a Sept. 17 press release. The people and entities are connected to Alex Nain Saab Moran and his business partner Alvaro Enrique Pulido Vargas, who have helped the Maduro regime to “corruptly profit” from imports of food aid and distribution within the country. The designated people include Saab’s two brothers, Amir Luis Saab Moran and Luis Alberto Saab Moran, and Pulido’s son David Enrique Rubio Gonzalez, Treasury said. The 16 entities -- based in Colombia, Panama and Italy -- are owned or controlled by the sanctioned people.
Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with some of the top stories for Sept. 9-13 in case they were missed.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is proposing to designate norfentanyl as a fentanyl precursor chemical and control it as a schedule II substance under the Controlled Substances Act. "The scheduling of norfentanyl as an immediate precursor of the schedule II controlled substance, fentanyl, would subject norfentanyl to all of the regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions applicable to the manufacture, distribution, dispensing, importing, and exporting of a schedule II controlled substance," DEA said. Comments are due Nov. 18.
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a blocking memorandum and formally updated 33 entries on its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List. The agency published “identifying information” on the entries as a result of President Donald Trump’s Sept. 10 executive order that expanded Treasury’s terrorism-related sanctions authorities (see 1909100048). Most names are for persons or entities in the Middle East, specifically Palestine.
Iraq wants to increase trade with the U.S. and make market access for U.S. companies more attractive, Iraq's Ambassador to the U.S. Fareed Yasseen said. But Yasseen also said Iraq is opposed to U.S. sanctions on Iran and will not take a side as tensions escalate. Yasseen said Iraq is working on two draft laws to boost trade and standardize entrances at customs border gates to convince U.S. companies to do business in the country. “Simply put, we would like U.S. businesses and U.S. society to have a role in the reconstruction of Iraq,” Yasseen said, speaking during a Sept. 10 Atlantic Council event.