The U.K. on July 3 added three financial sanctions FAQs covering what constitutes an "economic resource" and when licenses are required from the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation if licenses have been issued by a "Crown Dependency or Overseas Territory."
Scott Wise, former assistant general counsel for global trade at Microsoft, has joined Crowell & Moring as a partner in the international trade group, the firm announced. At Microsoft, Wise was the lead attorney on economic sanctions and outbound investment issues regarding emerging technologies, such as AI and quantum computing, the firm said.
The Council of the European Union on June 27 agreed to a partial negotiating mandate on reforming the EU customs framework to allow it to address trends such as "huge increases in trade volumes, especially in e-commerce," various EU standards that need to be checked at the border, and "shifting geopolitical realities and crises." The mandate allows for negotiations with the European Parliament on customs reform.
The World Trade Organization's Dispute Settlement Body on June 23 agreed to establish dispute panels in China's case against Canada's tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and steel and aluminum products and Canada's dispute against Chinese import duties on Canadian agricultural and fisheries products, the WTO announced.
The European Commission on June 19 decided to exclude Chinese companies from EU government purchases of medical devices exceeding $5.7 million following the first investigation under the EU's International Procurement Instrument. The decision allows no more than 50% of Chinese inputs for successful bids, the commission said. The EU said it will add exceptions "where no alternative suppliers exist."
The European Commission on June 16 unveiled a proposal to gradually stop the import of Russian oil and gas by the end of 2027. The commission said the proposal follows a plan adopted last month to fully phase out Russian gas imports (see 2505060027).
A Venezuelan national and a U.S. citizen were arrested on June 13 and charged with violating U.S. sanctions on Venezuela by selling "chemical catalysts, industrial equipment, and associated services" to sanctioned Venezuelan state-owned steel mills and petrochemical companies, DOJ announced. The Venezuelan national, Juan Carlos Cairo-Padron, and the U.S. citizen, Thomas Fortinberry, both face a maximum of 20 years in prison for sanctions and money laundering counts and 10 years in prison for smuggling.
Joshua Kurland, a 15-year trial attorney at DOJ, has joined Hogan Lovells as a partner in the international trade and investment practice, the firm announced. At DOJ, Kurland led the government's litigation efforts in many cases in the Commercial Litigation Branch, including over 250 international trade-related cases. From January 2024 to January 2025, he sered as a trial attorney detailed in DOJ's national security division, covering counterintelligence and export control matters.
Panama formally accepted the World Trade Organization Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on June 12, bringing the number of countries that have accepted the deal to 102. The WTO needs nine more countries to accept to get to two-thirds of the membership, the threshold for the agreement to take effect.
The Council of the European Union on June 12 decided to grant "equivalence" with EU requirements to Ukraine and Moldova regarding field inspection and seed production standards for various seeds. In Ukraine, the EU extended the equivalence to seeds of beet, sunflowers, swede rape and soya beans made and certified in that country. In Moldova, the council granted the equivalence to seeds of fodder plants.