Following a review of its restrictive measures, the EU renewed its arms embargo against Zimbabwe and is maintaining its targeted assets freeze against one company, Zimbabwe Defence Industries. In a Feb. 19 news release, the European Council decried the humanitarian, economic and social situation in the sub-Saharan nation. “Violations of human rights and limitations on the democratic space are also persisting,” the release said. “The EU is especially concerned about a proliferation of arrests and prosecutions of journalists, opposition actors and individuals expressing dissenting views, and the use by high-level officials of speech that could be interpreted as incitement to violence.”
The United Kingdom's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation announced the addition of three senior generals in the Myanmar military to its sanctions list following the military coup in the country. In a Feb. 18 release, Britain added Soe Htut, Than Hlaing and Mya Tun Oo to the list, barring any U.K. entities from dealing with these members of the military. The U.K. is just one of many countries to enact sanctions on Myanmar and high-ranking military officials following the coup, with the U.S. enacting similar sanctions on Feb. 10 (see 2102100060). “We, alongside our international allies, will hold the Myanmar military to account for their violations of human rights and pursue justice for the Myanmar people,” British Foreign Secretary Dominc Raab said in a statement.
Slovakia will introduce a range of value-added tax measures this summer that will affect cross-border e-commerce trade, KPMG posted Feb. 18. The changes, effective July 1, will alter certain European Union VAT directives, including provisions related to the “place of taxation” and the supply of goods through “electronic interfaces.” The measures will also revise procedures for declarations and payments of import VAT, and repeal an exemption from import VAT for goods “in small consignment of a value of up to” about $26.
The European Commission laid out its trade goals for the coming years. In a guiding strategic document Feb. 18, the commission vowed to make its trade agenda more sustainable and capable of tackling modern-era problems. Its trade goals focus on six key areas: 1) reforming the WTO, 2) supporting the green transition and promoting responsible and sustainable value chains, 3) supporting the digital transition and trade in services, 4) strengthening the European Union's regulatory impact, 5) boosting the EU's partnerships with neighboring, enlargement countries and Africa, and 6) strengthening the EU's focus on implementation and enforcement of trade agreements and ensuring a level playing field.
The European Commission opened an antidumping investigation of certain graphite electrode systems originating in China. The investigation is based on a complaint from Graphite Cova, Showa Denko Carbon Holding and Tokai ErftCarbon on graphite electrodes of a kind used for electric furnaces, with an apparent density of 1.5 g/cm3 or more and an electrical resistance of 7 micro ohm meters or less, and nipples used for such electrodes. Complainants “provided sufficient evidence that there are raw material distortions in the country concerned regarding the product under investigation,” and that compared with prices in other international markets, are significantly lower, the EC notice said. “[T]he investigation will examine the alleged distortions to assess whether, if relevant, a duty lower than the margin of dumping would be sufficient to remove injury.”
New European Union trade enforcement regulations allow it take protective action over its trade interests if the dispute settlement mechanisms in the World Trade Organiztion or the EU's trade agreements cannot be utilized despite good-faith efforts by the EU. The new regulation also expands the use of possible trade policy countermeasures to include services and intellectual property rights. The countermeasures previously covered only goods. The rules come after a tumultuous four-year period for international trading norms under the Trump administration, which held up appointments to the WTO's Appellate Body (see 1709290010). EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said the "new rules will help protect us from those trying to take advantage of our openness." The EU will "continue to work towards our first preference, which is a reformed and well-functioning multilateral rulebook with an effective Dispute Settlement System at its core. But we cannot afford to stand defenseless in the meantime. These measures allow us to respond resolutely and assertively.”
The Czech Republic recently waived value-added taxes on certain medical items to help address the continued impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, KPMG said in a Feb. 9 post. VATs will not apply to “in-vitro diagnostic medical devices” for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations through Dec. 31, 2022. Also exempted are supplies of respirators and filtering half masks, through April 3, 2021.
Ukraine recently established a 24 million metric ton cap for exports of corn for the 2020-2021 marketing year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service reported Feb. 5. The export cap was implemented after Ukrainian feed producers lobbied for export limits due to concerns that increasing grain prices “would have a direct impact on the profitability of their businesses,” the FAS said. Although the announcement set an export threshold, FAS said there is a “high probability” remaining corn stocks can be “freely exported” July to September “before the conclusion of the standardized” marketing year.
A month after the end of the Brexit transition period, the Port of Dover in Great Britain reports freight traffic is nearly at the same level as a year ago. In a Feb. 8 news release, the nearest British port to France gave a post-Brexit update, saying that more than 90% of the freight volumes typically recorded this time of year are flowing through the port. The Port of Dover said that if a hauler shows up to the Kent County border with all paperwork ready and a negative COVID-19 test, then it's quickly off to France on a ferry. “I’m really encouraged to see such a positive start to the New Year as we adapt to the new systems and processes involved in a new, post-Brexit transition era,” Port of Dover Chief Operations Officer Sarah West said.
The European Council renewed the European Union terrorist list Feb. 5 for another six months, freezing the funds and other financial assets in the EU of 14 persons and 21 groups and entities. The list also prohibits EU operators from making funds and economic resources available to the blocked parties. The terrorist list has been in place since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Renewal is required every six months.