The U.K. this week added people and entities designated under its Regulation 11 Russia sanctions to the list of parties designated under its Regulation 18C trust services restrictions. "This means that it is now prohibited to provide trust services to or for the benefit of these persons, unless permitted by a licence or there is an applicable exception," OFSI said. The change took effect March 21.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is hoping its new Disruptive Technology Strike Force leads to more investigations of export control violations, faster prosecutions and more criminal enforcement actions, said John Sonderman, director of the BIS Office of Export Enforcement. The agency also is looking to clamp down on U.S.-origin items ending up in Iranian drones, said Kevin Kurland of OEE, warning that companies should make sure they’re complying with the new Iran Foreign Direct Product Rule issued last month.
The U.K.'s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation updated its Russia sanctions guidance on licenses that permit conduct otherwise barred by regulation 54C. Regulation 54C covers the provision of "accounting, advertising, architectural, auditing, business and management consulting, engineering, IT consultancy and design and public relations services," to a person linked with Russia, the EU Sanctions blog reported. The guidance clarifies that a license may be granted under this regulation "if it is necessary for ensuring critical energy supply to any country."
The U.K. removed Irish journalist Brian McDonald from its Russia sanctions regime. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation also amended information for Igor Viktorovich Makarov, president of ARETI International Group, and struck a duplicate entry for Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week published a previously issued Russia sanctions determination and general licenses. One notice includes a previously issued Russia-related sector determination published under April 15, 2021, executive order, and the others include previously issued general licenses under the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations.
Trade lawyers are expecting a sharp increase in DOJ export control and sanctions prosecutions in the coming months as the agency’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section undergoes a hiring spree, and several law firms said the increased attention on sanctions violations may cause some companies to bolster their compliance programs.
The U.K. Supreme Court ruled Ukraine can defend a $3 billion Eurobond lawsuit on the grounds it was forced to take on the debt in 2013 due to threats from Russia. The Law Debenture Trust Corp., which is incorporated in England and Wales, sued on Russia's behalf. Ukraine said it need not pay the loan because it was procured by duress stemming from illegal pressure and threats, including sanctions.
The U.S. needs to impose more sanctions and export controls to prevent nuclear collaboration between Russia’s Rosatom and China, which is helping to support Russia’s war in Ukraine and allowing China to acquire enough weapons grade plutonium to “fuel its strategic nuclear breakout,” Republican House leaders said this week. Although the lawmakers said they were “heartened” to see the new set of sanctions against Russia last month (see 2302240028), which included designations targeting three Rosatom subsidiaries, they called for more.
A group of European countries not in the EU aligned with a European Council decision to extend until March 6, 2024, restrictions related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway also extended the restriction, the council said March 15.
Canada this month banned imports of aluminum and steel products from Russia, including railway track construction materials, cast iron tubes and pipes, iron and steel sheet piling and more. Canada has imposed a range of sanctions and import restrictions against Russia since it invaded Ukraine, including prohibitions on Russia’s oil, gas and chemical sectors (see 2207110008).