The Dutch Supreme Court on April 24 said it will refer two preliminary questions to the European Court of Justice concerning the effect of EU Russia sanctions on sanctioned parties' shareholder voting rights, according to an unofficial translation.
The Ukraine High Anti-Corruption Court on April 10 upheld the Ministry of Justice's bid to impose sanctions and confiscate the assets of former Minister of Education and Science Dmytro Tabachnyk, according to an unofficial translation. The court noted that Tabachnyk is in the "temporarily occupied territories" and helps support the creation and functioning of the occupying administrations. The Ukrainian government sought to confiscate five land plots, a residential building, half a share of an apartment and monetary assets from the former minister. Ukraine's enforcement of its sanctions regime takes the form of asset freezes, the seizure of property and criminal sanctions, according to a blog post from global law firm Baker McKenzie. Ukraine passed legislation last year allowing for the "expropriation of property of" sanctioned parties.
China last week announced sanctions against two U.S. defense companies for supporting U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. The designations, imposed under China's anti-foreign sanctions law (see 2310230032), target General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and General Dynamics Land Systems by freezing their assets in China and placing travel bans on their senior managers, according to an unofficial translation of an April 11 notice from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two companies didn’t respond to requests for comment.
The European Council on March 12 extended for another six months, until Sept. 15, sanctions on those undermining the sovereignty of Ukraine. The restrictions include an asset freeze on over 2,100 people and entities. The council also decided not to renew the restrictions on three individuals and dropped nine deceased individuals from the list.
The European Parliament this week voted to approve new rules that could require member states to treat sanctions violations as criminal offenses, leading to harsher penalties and possible prison time (see 2312120059).
The European Council extended until Feb. 28, 2025, its sanctions regime on Belarus for its support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The one-year extension was made as part of an annual review of the sanctions on Belarus, the council said Feb. 26. The restrictions include an asset freeze on 233 people and 37 entities, along with sectoral restrictions on the financial sector, trade, trade in dual-use goods and technology, and more.
The EU General Court on Feb. 7 dismissed sanctions removal applications from Russians Alisher Usmanov and Igor Shuvalov, according to an unofficial translation.
The Biden administration’s review of criteria for approving liquefied natural gas (LNG) export applications is expected to take “months, not years,” a senior Energy Department official said last week.
The U.N. Security Council this week amended 85 entries under its ISIL (Da’esh) and al-Qaida sanctions regime. The UNSC updated each entry with language to show they each underwent a sanctions review in October. All 85 entries are still subject to an asset freeze.
The European Council on Feb. 2 renewed its sanctions on Zimbabwe for another year. The restrictions, which will now expire Feb. 20, 2025, include an embargo on arms and "equipment which might be used for internal repression" and an asset freeze on Zimbabwe Defense Industries. "Since February 2022 there are no listed individuals," the EU said, adding that it will "closely follow developments in Zimbabwe, with a particular attention to the human rights situation."