Luxembourg authorities on April 23 assessed an over $841,000 administrative fine against wealth management firm Fuchs & Associés Finance S.A. for anti-money laundering and sanctions compliance violations.
The Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly called for the "establishment of an international compensation mechanism" to use confiscated Russian assets to "address the damages incurred by natural and legal persons affected, including the State of Ukraine," due to Russia's invasion. The assembly urged EU member states holding Russian assets to "actively co-operate in the prompt transfer of these assets" to the compensation mechanism, adding that states shouldn't wait until the end of the war in Ukraine. In addition, the assembly called for the "establishment of an impartial and effective international claims commission" to sort through Ukrainian claims and affected parties seeking reparation from Russia.
South Africa on April 24 requested dispute consultations with the EU at the World Trade Organization concerning the bloc's regime on imports of South African citrus fruit, the WTO announced.
European countries not in the EU aligned with two recent EU sanctions moves concerning Iran and human rights abuses, the Council of the EU announced.
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.
Japan opened an antidumping duty investigation on graphite electrodes from China, the ministries of Finance and Economy, Trade and Industry announced, according to an unofficial translation. The ministries decided to conduct the joint investigation following a petition from Japanese companies SEC Carbon, Tokai Carbon Co. and Nippon Carbon Co. The investigation will take one year and will allow for interested parties to comment on the proceeding.
The European Commission on April 24 opened the first investigation under its International Procurement Instrument in response to practices in the Chinese procurement market for medical devices which allegedly "discriminate unfairly against European companies and products," the commission said.
The former comptroller general of Ecuador, Carlos Ramon Polit Faggioni, was convicted on April 23 for his part in an international bribery and money laundering scheme, DOJ announced.
The European Parliament on April 23 issued the final approval to new regulations banning the "sale, import, and export of goods made" with forced labor (see 2403050035), the Parliament announced. The European Commission, along with member state authorities, will be able investigate "suspicious goods, supply chains, and manufactures" to find if forced labor exists in a good's supply chain.
DOJ charged 10 individuals with conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan state-owned oil company Petroleos de Venezuela by shipping aircraft parts to service the company's fleet in Venezuela.