May - 2019

Canada and the U.S. amend their export control lists

On 5 April 2019 the Canadian Government finalized revisions to its Export Control List. On 17 May 2019 the December 2016 version of “A Guide To Canada’s Export Control List” (Guide) will be in effect. Please follow the links below for further information: Order Amending the Export Control List: SOR/2019-92 An overview of key changes Furthermore, effective 23 May 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) revised the Commerce Control List (CCL) as part of its Export

Belgium law enforces EU Blocking Regulation

Belgium has adopted a national law that penalizes violators of EU Council Regulation (EC) No 2271/96, a regulation that protects against extra-territorial application of legislation adopted by a third country. Violations can lead to fines as large as 10% of annual net turnover for legal persons and up to 5 million euros for natural persons. The Belgium Federal Public Service for Foreign Affairs will implement this law. The Belgium law (“TITEL VII.”) can be found here (in Dutc

European Commission publishes cybersecurity certification framework

On 17 May 2019 the European Commission published Council Regulation (EU) 2019/796 “concerning restrictive measures against cyber-attacks threatening the Union or its Member States” in the Official Journal of the European Union. Entities added to this list will be added to PST.AG list EUDPL, a consolidated list of entities with frozen assets from all EU listings. All PST.AG customers who receive EUDPL will also receive all the data from Council Regulation (EU) 2019/796.

U.S. grants 90-day temporary general license to Huawei

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued a final rule that creates a 90-day temporary general license partially restoring licensing requirements to Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei) and its non-U.S. affiliates. BIS added Huawei and sixty-eight of its non-U.S. affiliates to the Entity List on 16 May 2019. The temporary general license issued by BIS allows 1) operations of existing networks and equipment to continue, 2) service and

European Commission publishes notice on the use of pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of orig

On 10 May 2019 the European Commission published the “Commission notice concerning the application of the Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin or the protocols on rules of origin providing for diagonal cumulation between the Contracting Parties to this Convention” (2019/C 158/06) in the Official Journal of the European Union. This notice contains tables on how companies can combine preferential status pertaining to rules of origin; it rep

U.S. adds Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. to Entity List

On 15 May 2019 the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced that it will be adding Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. (Huawei) and its affiliates to the BIS Entity List. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s press release, Huawei is “engaged in activities that are contrary to U.S. national security or foreign policy interest”. To sell or transfer technology from the U.S. to an entity on the Entity List requires a license from BIS, which

Canada changes scope of surtax on certain steel imports

On 10 May 2019 the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced changes to the surtax which applies to imports of certain steel products into Canada. The announcement, in Customs Notice 19-08, refers to the Order Amending the Order Imposing a Surtax on the Importation of Certain Steel Goods (Final Safeguards) (SOR/2019-127) which enters into force on 13 May 2019. This order amends the Order Imposing a Surtax on the Importation of Certain Steel Goods (SOR/2018/206) of 25 Oct

Hong Kong ICAC issues a guide on anti-corruption programs

The Corruption Prevention Department of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) of Hong Kong has published a guide entitled “Anti-Corruption Programme – A Guide for Listed Companies”. It is directed at companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX). The publication outlines existing anti-corruption laws in Hong Kong, such as the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance, and illustrates possible violations of the law by giving some examples. Subsequently, it des

Malaysia changes anti-dumping duties on steel imports from certain companies

On 8 May 2019, the Attorney General’s Chambers of Malaysia published the Customs (Anti-Dumping Duties) (Administrative Review) Order 2019 (P.U. (A) 127/2019). It is effective from 8 May 2019 to 23 May 2021. The new order specifies the rate of anti-dumping duties which apply to the import of goods classified under several chapter 72 tariff numbers and produced or exported by particular companies in China (People’s Republic of China), South Korea and Vietnam. The names of the

New Executive Order on US sanctions against Iran issued

The President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, has signed a new Executive Order entitled “Imposing Sanctions with Respect to the Iron, Steel, Aluminum, and Copper Sectors of Iran”. As a result of this Executive Order, which entered into force on 8 May 2019, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) may determine entities and individuals who are involved in the iron, steel, aluminum, and copper sectors or Iran and whose assets are

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