January - 2021

UK and Canada announce new measures to address Xinjiang human rights abuses

On 12th January 2021, the United Kingdom and Canada announced new measures related to the human rights situation in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. The UK’s Foreign Secretary announced multiple measures to help organizations avoid complicity in human rights violations in Xinjiang. Similarly, Canada’s Ministers of Foreign Affairs and of Small Business, Export Promotion, and International Trade announced a new approach to defend the rights of Uyghurs and other eth

China approves new blocking legislation against foreign laws

On 9th January 2021, the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China approved Order No. 1 of 2021 entitled “Measures for Blocking the Improper Extraterritorial Application of Foreign Laws and Measures.” The order allows Chinese citizens, legal persons, or other organizations to report to the State Council any foreign laws or measures that limits normal economic trade with third countries. If the report is judged as valid by a ‘working mechanism’, then the foreign l

OFAC issues Venezuela-related General License

On 4th January 2021, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued General License 31A entitled "Certain Transactions Involving the IV Venezuelan National Assembly, the Interim President of Venezuela, and Certain Other Persons Authorized." Concurrently, OFAC amended related Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) 679.

OFAC publishes new FAQs

The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has published frequently asked questions (FAQs) 862, 863, 864, and 865 pertaining to Executive Order 13595, "Addressing the Threat from Securities Investments that Finance Communist Chinese Military Companies." OFAC has also published FAQs 869, 870 and amended FAQs 545, 546 concerning the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).