On April 18, 2024, the Departments of Commerce and the Treasury announced combined export control restrictions and economic sanctions against Iran for its attack on Israel on April 13, 2024. These actions are intended “to degrade and disrupt key aspects of Iran’s malign activity, including its UAV [Unmanned Aerial Vehicles] program and the revenue the
OFAC Rescinds Authorization for Certain Oil and Gas Transactions Involving Venezuela and Issues Wind-Down License
On April 17, 2024, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued Venezuela-related General License 44A, “Authorizing the Wind Down of Transactions Related to Oil or Gas Sector Operations in Venezuela.” This license replaces General License (GL) 44 that was issued in October 2023 allowing for certain activities in this
BIS Issues Interim Final Rule to Ease Export Controls on Australia and the United Kingdom
To “further enhance defense industrial base cooperation and technology innovation with Australia and the United Kingdom,” the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) issued an interim final rule (“IFR”) on April 18, 2024 to ease various licensing requirements prescribed by the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”) for exports, reexports, or transfers (in-country) to
USTR Initiates Section 301 Investigation Targeting China’s Maritime, Logistics and Shipbuilding Sectors
Note: For more information on this topic, please see our client update of April 23rd.
On April 17, 2024, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) initiated an investigation targeting the acts, policies, and practices of the maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). This action results from a
CFIUS Proposed Rulemaking Seeks to Refine and Expand Enforcement and Penalty Regulations
On April 15, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, as Chair of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) to enhance certain CFIUS procedures. This proposed rule would modify certain provisions in the CFIUS regulations pertaining to: (i) penalties for violations of statutory or
OFAC Again Extends Venezuela General License Delaying PdVSA 2020 8.5% Bond-Related Authorizations
On April 15, 2024, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued General License (GL) 5O, “Authorizing Certain Transactions Related to the Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. 2020 8.5 Percent Bond on or After August 13, 2024,” which continues to delay U.S. persons’ ability to enforce bondholder rights to the CITGO
BIS Releases Interim Final Rule Further Revising Export Controls on Advanced Computing and Semiconductor Manufacturing
On April 4, 2024, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) released another Interim Final Rule (IFR) offering clarification and correcting inadvertent errors made in earlier rulemakings regarding the implementation of significant export controls on certain advanced computing items and supercomputer and semiconductor end use. This latest rule is effective April 4
USTR Releases 2024 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) released on March 29, 2024, its annual National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (NTE Report) that addresses the status of foreign trade and investment barriers to U.S. exports worldwide. This is the U.S. government’s major annual report on the barriers to U.S. exports of goods
Commerce Releases New Resource to Help Identify Boycott-Related Requests
On March 28, 2024, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced a new resource to help identify boycott-related requests U.S. persons and companies may receive during the regular course of conducting business. The resource is a public list of entities identified as making a boycott-related request in reports received by the BIS
BIS Amends EAR to Expand Export Controls on OFAC SDN-Listed Persons
On March 20, 2024, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued a final rule implementing restrictions under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) on persons who have been designated and placed on the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List maintained by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Under Secretary