The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued two final rules and one proposed rule intended to prevent efforts by entities in China, Russia and Venezuela to acquire U.S. technology that could be used in development of weapons, military aircraft or surveillance technology through civilian supply chains or under civilian-use pretenses.
Russia
OFAC Issues Amended Ukraine-Related General Licenses Involving GAZ Group
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has announced its extension of two general licenses related to GAZ Group, Ukraine-related General License No. 13N, “Authorizing Certain Transactions Necessary to Divest or Transfer Debt, Equity, or Other Holdings in GAZ Group” and Ukraine-related General License No. 15H, “Authorizing Certain Activities…
In Annual Reports to Congress, USTR Continues to Criticize Russia and China for Poor WTO Compliance
Recently, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) issued its annual reports to Congress assessing how the People’s Republic of China (China) and the Russian Federation (Russia) have been complying with their World Trade Organization (WTO) accession agreements, including both their multilateral commitments and bilateral commitments with the United States. China became a member of the WTO…
Commerce Tightens Licensing Policy for U.S. Exports to Russia and Yemen
On February 24, 2020, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued a Federal Register notice announcing amendments to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) that revise export licensing policy toward the Russian Federation and Yemen based on national security and foreign policy concerns. Under the EAR, BIS has established various “Country Group”…
OFAC Announces Additional Crimea-Russia Sanctions
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned eight individuals and one entity in response to Russia’s continued aggression toward Ukraine and attempted occupation of Crimea, which the United States continues to view as an illegitimate annexation since it occurred in 2014. OFAC has designated and placed on the Specially…
OFAC Issues Additional Economic Sanctions Targeting Iran, Russia and Venezuela
In September, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) continued to tighten its sanctions on Iran and Venezuela, and addressed a sanctions-evading scheme for Syria involving several Russian entities.
- Iran: On September 20, 2019, OFAC announced that it was designating the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), the National Development
…
Commerce Adds 46 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. Entities to its Entities List; Extends Temporary General License
In a Federal Register notice published on August 21, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced that it has added 46 non-U.S. affiliates of Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei) to the Entity List because they “pose a significant risk of involvement in activities contrary to the national security or foreign…
President Trump Declines to Implement Section 232 Action on Uranium Imports, Establishes Working Group Instead
President Donald Trump has issued a presidential memorandum concluding the Section 232 Investigation into the effect of uranium imports on U.S. national security and declining at this time to take any further action on uranium imports. Instead, the president is establishing a United States Nuclear Fuel Working Group (Working Group) to develop recommendations for reviving…
U.S. Trade Representative Submits Reports to Congress on China’s and Russia’s WTO Compliance
The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is required by law to report annually to Congress on compliance by the People’s Republic of China (China) and the Russian Federation (Russia) with commitments made in connection with their accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), including both multilateral commitments and any bilateral commitments made to the United States.…
Companies Previously Controlled by Russian Oligarch Are Removed from OFAC SDN List
After much debate and despite continuing criticism, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) lifted sanctions previously imposed upon three Russian entities: En+ Group plc (En+), United Company Rusal plc (Rusal) and JSC EuroSibEnergo (ESE). Effective January 27, 2019, OFAC removed these entities from the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List.
