German automakers don't want the EU to impose trade restrictions on Chinese electric vehicles, Hildegard Muller, president of the German Automotive Industry Association, told Beijing in a meeting with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao this week.

The EU and Japan on May 2 wrapped up the fifth EU-Japan High Level Economic Dialogue, announcing an initiative to work more closely on sustainable supply chains, the European Commission said. The two countries noted the need for collaboration on "climate change, energy security, cyber security and stability of supply, based on jointly agreed principles." The dialogue also stressed the importance of making sure the World Trade Organization "is reformed."

The U.K. on April 30 updated its general sanctions license permitting humanitarian activity in Israel and occupied Palestinian territories. The license was extended a year, until May 14, 2025, and the U.K. said reporting to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation should be submitted no later than Nov. 13, 2024, for activities taken under the license before that date, and no later than June 14, 2025, for activities taken under the license prior to that date and after Nov. 13, 2024. The license also added the Disasters Emergency Committee as an entity that can conduct humanitarian activities in the covered regions.

The U.K. Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation on May 1 published frequently asked questions regarding its sanctions regimes, which are meant to be "supplementary to, and not a replacement for, OFSI's primary guidance." The page includes 91 FAQs covering general sanctions questions, the restriction on Russia, the Russian oil services ban, Libya, general licensing, definitions and crown dependencies and overseas territories. Forty-four FAQs pertain specifically to the Russia sanctions.

An EU-New Zealand trade agreement that eliminates tariffs on EU goods such as "pig meat, wine and sparkling wine, chocolate, sugar confectionary and biscuits," entered into force May 1, the European Commission announced. Under the deal, "sensitive EU agricultural products such as beef, sheepmeat and dairy products are protected with carefully designed tariff rate quotas." EU investors will also receive nondiscriminatory treatment in New Zealand and EU companies will receive greater access to New Zealand procurement contracts, the commission said.

Malta's Sanctions Monitoring Board said that Dubai-based virtual casino company ArabMillionaire Limited violated sanctions compliance requirements, though the national authority didn't provide details about the nature of the violation or the extent of the penalty. The board invoked Article 17(6) of the National Interest (Enabling Powers) Act, which requires companies to routinely check sanctions lists and have internal controls in place to ensure sanctions compliance.

The U.K. on April 30 added three individuals to its global anti-corruption sanctions regime, according to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation. Anita Annet Among, speaker of parliament of Uganda; Mary Goretti Kitutu, former Ugandan minister for Karamoja affairs; and Agnes Nandutu, former state minister for Karamoja Affairs in Uganda, are each subject to an asset freeze.

The EU and Japan on April 30 held their second Digital Partnership Council, agreeing on "new deliverables to further cooperate on core digital technologies," including artificial intelligence, 5G, 6G, semiconductors, high performance computing (HPC) and quantum technology, the European Commission announced.

The EU's directive regarding the criminalization of sanctions violations will take effect May 19. The bloc added the directive to its official journal, saying member states have 12 months to incorporate the policies into their internal rules. The new rules, among other things, set minimum penalties for sanctions violations and define sanctions violations (see 2404150010).

The U.K. on April 29 amended the entry for Sanaullah Ghafari under its ISIL (Da'esh) and al-Qaida sanctions regime, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation announced. The listing was updated to reflect that Ghafari is the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant - Khorasan.