Baker McKenzie’s Sanctions Blog published the alert titled US Government Imposes Sanctions Prohibiting Importation of Russian Energy Products and New Investments in the Russian Energy Sector on 14 March 2022. Read the article via the link here. Please also visit our Sanctions Blog for the most recent updates.
Baker McKenzie’s Sanctions Blog published the alert titled “US Department of Commerce implements significant expansion of export controls against Russia” on 1 March 2022. Read the article via the link here. Please also visit our Sanctions Blog for the most recent updates.
On February 2, 2022, the Department of State published a proposed rule that, most significantly, would amend provisions of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations affecting how the nationality of foreign persons is determined for purposes of deemed exports/reexports.
On January 25, 2022, two senior Biden Administration officials held a background press call on potential economic deterrence measures to be imposed in the event of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. The senior officials stated that, if that happens, the US Government is prepared to impose sanctions with “massive consequences” for Russia that were not previously considered following the 2014 annexation of Crimea.
On 10 December 2021, at the Summit for Democracy, the US, Australia, Denmark, and Norway, released a Joint Statement announcing an Export Controls and Human Rights Initiative to curb the misuse of technologies by certain governments. The initiative aims to combat digital authoritarianism in countries where software and advanced surveillance technologies have been used to hack the communications of political opponents and journalists, shape public opinion, and censor information the government deems threatening.
On November 18, 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order (“EO”) 14054 which terminates US sanctions related to Burundi by revoking EO 13712 of November 22, 2015. EO 13712 imposed sanctions related to Burundi due to “the killing of and violence against civilians, unrest, the incitement of imminent violence, and significant political repression” occurring in Burundi at the time and designated several parties as Specially Designated Nationals.
On October 22, 2021, the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) published a Proposed Rule to outline potential changes it is considering making to the Export Administration Regulations in an effort to clarify and expand the restrictions on the availability of License Exception Strategic Trade Authorization for the export, reexport, and in-country transfer of certain items. BIS is seeking public comments on these proposed changes by December 6, 2021.
On 19 August 2021, the Federal Communications Commission published a notice of proposed rulemaking discussing potential changes it is considering making to its equipment authorization and competitive bidding programs to restrict the use of telecommunications and video surveillance equipment and services produced or provided by five Chinese companies.
We are pleased to invite you to our annual virtual Global Year-End Review of Import/Export/Trade Compliance Developments. Our international trade compliance lawyers from around the world will review the major global legislative, judicial and administrative activities and trends in export controls, trade sanctions, customs compliance, and import requirements which will be 16-18 November 2021.
On January 19, 2021, the US Commerce Department published an interim final rule (“Interim Rule”) to implement Executive Order 13873, “Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services (“ICTS”) Supply Chain.” The Interim Rule was issued following the public comment period’s closure on January 10, 2021 on the proposed rules issued on November 27, 2019.