The European Union threatened to impose further sanctions (see 2010050010) against Belarus after a peaceful protester died due to injuries caused by plain-clothes police. Raman Bandarenka's death was “an outrageous and shameful result of the actions by the Belarusian authorities,” who are violating human rights, the EU said Nov. 13. “The European Union has already imposed sanctions on 55 individuals responsible for violent repression and intimidation, and stands ready to impose additional sanctions,” the EU said.
The European Commission launched a new complaint system to allow companies, trade groups and member states to report market access barriers presented by trading partners, a Nov. 16 news release said. The system will help the European Union’s “increased efforts to strengthen the enforcement and implementation of trade agreements” and will allow industry an increased voice in government priorities. “Stakeholders now will play a direct role in ensuring that EU trade policy delivers both on trade opportunities and on raising labour and environmental standards,” Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said. Complaints must include a “detailed factual description of the issue at stake,” and when market access is the issue, must include a description of “the alleged barrier's potential economic impact.”
The European Commission published its annual report on the European Union’s trade agreements in 2019, providing statistics on trade deals with 65 EU trading partners and the sectors that benefited. The Nov. 12 report said the EU’s deals with Canada and Japan “especially boosted trade” last year, helping Europe's agricultural and industrial exporters. “At a time when the European economy is in crisis, international trade is more essential than ever,” Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said, and the EU is taking “many steps” to “really take advantage of our trade agreements.”
The United Kingdom’s trade preference scheme for developing countries will continue after it leaves the European Union Jan. 1, 2021, the U.K.’s Department for International Trade said Nov. 10. The Generalised Scheme of Preferences, which provides preferential tariffs for developing countries, will cover any “eligible” countries that do not have their existing trade deals with the U.K. transitioned into a new agreement after Brexit, the agency said. U.K. Trade Secretary Liz Truss said the country is “making sure that the world’s poorest countries can continue to take advantage of the opportunities that free trade offers them by allowing them to export their products to the UK at preferential rates.”
The United Kingdom launched a new office to oversee foreign direct investment, in a bid to attract more investment projects. The Office for Investment will be staffed by “highly experienced individuals” with both private sector and government experience, the U.K. said Nov. 10. Based in the Department for International Trade, it will be responsible for resolving “potential barriers” to investment. The office will create a “single front door” for U.K. investment and help boost “economic recovery” nationally. “This major operational transformation is designed to ensure the UK is the most attractive destination in the world to invest,” the U.K. said.
The United Kingdom’s Export Control Joint Unit on Nov. 10 issued contact information for defense-related export inquiries after it said exporters have had trouble reaching the agency. The ECJU said some U.K. exporters are sending emails to “out of date team contacts and email addresses,” and the defense ministry team at the ECJU is “not receiving these requests, which means that a response cannot be sent.” The agency stressed that all exporter requests related to general export license approval letters, exemption letters and other defense-related export matters should be sent to ECJU-MODTeam@mod.gov.uk.
The United Kingdom Nov. 6 updated its guidance on trade with South Korea after the U.K. leaves the European Union. The updated guidance now includes new details on origin quotas and other trade information. The trade agreement with South Korea takes effect Jan. 1, 2021.
The EU will add the United Kingdom to its list of countries with general export authorizations for dual-use items after the U.K. leaves the EU Jan. 1, 2021, the European Commission said Nov. 4. The move eliminates the possibility that EU exporters would have to obtain a specific export license to ship certain dual-use goods to the U.K., which would create a “considerable administrative burden” for member states and hurt EU competitiveness, the EC said. The U.K. “is an important destination for dual-use exports” and “ensures full compliance with relevant international obligations and commitments,” the EC said.
The European Union’s Directorate-General for External Policies released an October report on sanctions against Iran and the future of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The report includes an overview of the EU’s foreign policy objectives for Iran, the return of U.S. sanctions against Iran (see 2009210022) and how the EU should move forward. The report recommends the EU remain committed to the JCPOA and reject U.S. calls for sanctions. “Europe should continue to send clear messages to Tehran that it is not going to align with the US maximum pressure campaign and will remain committed to the deal, despite the challenges faced,” the report said.
The United Kingdom updated multiple guidance documents for trade with foreign countries after the U.K. leaves the European Union Jan. 1, 2021. The updates, published Nov. 3, provide more information on import tariff rates and rules of origin for more than 20 countries.