September - 2019

Post-Brexit UK plans to impose sanctions on those targeting journalists, whistle-blowers and campaig

On 23 September 2019 the United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary announced that when the UK leaves the EU, the UK will reinforce their ‘Magnitsky’ sanctions to hold those accountable whom commit gross human rights violations against journalists. The UK will bar entrance and freeze assets of those that target “journalists, whistle-blowers and human rights campaigners with impunity in their own countries”. ‘Magnitsky’ amendments within the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 201

UK updates OGELs to Hong Kong

The United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade: Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) has updated three open general export licences (OGELs), all which came into force on 13 September 2019. The OGELs that have been amended are: open general export licence (dual-use Items: Hong Kong SAR) open general transhipment licence (dual-use goods: Hong Kong SAR) open general trade control licence (category C goods) To read the notice published by the ECJU please click here.

New Executive Order targets terrorists and their supporters

On 10 September 2019 the U.S. President issued an Executive Order (E.O.) entitled “Modernizing Sanctions to Combat Terrorism.” This new E.O. amends E.O. 13224 (“Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions with Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism”) and terminates the national emergency declared in E.O. 12947 (“Prohibiting Transactions with Terrorists Who Threaten to Disrupt the Middle East Peace Process”). The new E.O. expands the authority of the U

BIS publishes Pakistan due diligence guidance; OFAC updates Cuban regulations

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published a “Due Diligence Guidance Concerning Exports, Reexports, and Transfers (In-Country) to Pakistan” (“Pakistan Guidance”). Pakistan Guidance highlights “supplemental licensing requirements applicable to exports, reexports, and transfers (in-country) of items subject to the EAR” and “best practices for screening customers in Pakistan.” In other news, on 6 September 2019 the U.S. Department of the Tr

Preliminary U.S. Anti-Dumping determinations on fabricated structural steel from Canada, China and M

On 4 September 2019 the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) announced preliminary anti-dumping (AD) determinations on certain fabricated structural steel imports from Canada, China and Mexico. The DOC’s preliminary determinations are affirmative on certain fabricated structural steel imports from China and Mexico, but negative on such steel imports from Canada. These determinations affect steel products found in chapters 72, 73 and 94 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the U.

OFAC issues “Nicaragua Sanctions Regulations”

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued Nicaragua Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 582 (the “Regulations”). The Regulations, effective 4 September 2019, implement Executive Order 13851 of 27 November 2018, entitled “Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Nicaragua”. OFAC intends to supplement the Regulations with additional guidance, general licenses and licensing policy statements to create a “

German customs updates ATLAS procedural manual

German customs (Generalzolldirektion, "Zoll") has released an updated (as of September 2019) procedural manual for ATLAS (Automatisiertes Tarif- und Lokales Zollabwicklungssystem), their electronic customs clearance platform. Also released (dated September 2019) by German customs is a new leaflet for ATLAS (release 9.0) participants and a list of the significant changes found in the updated version.