The European Parliament’s International Trade Committee approved a proposal last week that would renew the EU's suspension of import duties, antidumping duties and safeguards against Ukraine for another year. Members voted 27-1, and seven abstentions, to approve the measure, which would continue to suspend import duties on agricultural products, industrial items and other goods. The proposal is scheduled to be voted on by all members next week and will need to be approved by the European Council.

The U.K. issued a General License under its Russia and Belarus sanctions regimes permitting sanctioned individuals and entities to pay legal fees to law firms and counsel. The license took effect on April 29 and permits these payments in relation to any matter, except defamation or malicious falsehood proceedings, until Oct. 28. The license distinguishes between legal services issued pre-listing and post-listing.

Although implementation of the EU-U.K. Trade and Cooperation Agreement has gone better than expected, a range of issues continue to plague trade between the two sides, including in the agriculture sector, European Parliament members said during a hearing last week. Discussing a draft report on the implementation of the TCA, Parliament Member Sean Kelly of Ireland said “trade flows have been negatively impacted between the EU and the U.K. post-Brexit, which is not a surprise.” But it’s “welcome news” that the TCA “has been smoother in comparison to other agreements between the EU and U.K.”

The Spanish government found no evidence in an initial inquiry to justify claims that the country imported Russian diesel in violation of sanctions, said Teresa Ribera, Spain's energy minister, Bloomberg reported April 28. The nation's largest oil refiner, Repsol, complained that several tankers recently imported fuel via North Africa and Turkey in violation of restrictions on Russia. While the inquiry's initial findings did not find any trace of sanctions violations, the government will continue looking into the matter, Ribera said.

The U.K. last week added two entries to its ISIL (Da'esh) and al-Qaida sanctions regime, aligning its list with recent changes made by the U.N. Security Council (see 2304270019). The two new entries are Maulawi Rajab, senior leader of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant in Khorasan, and Sultan Aziz Azam, its spokesperson.

The EU and Taiwan wrapped up their second Trade and Investment Dialogue April 28, at which they discussed "horizontal strategic trade issues and bilateral concerns," the EU's Directorate-General for Trade said. The parties discussed work that has taken place since the last dialogue on export controls, direct investment screening, semiconductors and research and innovation, and agreed to "pursue their engagement in all these areas." Both sides also agreed to continue cooperating to align their Russian sanctions regimes and prevent circumvention of the restrictions. The EU and Taiwan "agreed to engage in expert discussions on digital trade facilitation measures such as e-invoicing and e-signature, with a view to lowering transaction costs and increasing economic efficiency" for businesses on both sides.

Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria agreed to restrict Ukrainian grain imports as part of a deal with the European Commission that replaces the countries' unilateral bans imposed due to falling prices, Bloomberg reported. The restrictions apply to wheat, corn, rapeseed, sunflower and sunflower oil and will come into effect June 5, with the option of being extended through the end of the year, Polish Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski told reporters. Other EU countries will continue importing Ukrainian agricultural imports. Of these four countries, Poland and Hungary recently announced a plan to extend their existing ban on Ukrainian grain (see 2304270015).

Switzerland adopted the U.N.'s humanitarian exemption to the international body's sanctions regimes on April 26. The exemption, which U.N. Security Council introduced in December, provides that certain humanitarian entities can engage in payments, services or ship goods involving sanctioned parties "to meet basic human needs," the Swiss Federal Council said.

Poland and Hungary plan to extend their bans on Ukrainian grain imports despite criticism of the measures, Bloomberg reported. The bans are set to expire at the end of June, but Polish Economic Development Minister Waldemar Buda said that will now be "absolutely impossible." Hungarian Agriculture Minister Istvan Nagy said Hungary wishes to keep the restrictions in place until the end of the year and also extend them to other food products. The measures are aimed at protecting their local agricultural sectors.

A group of European countries not in the EU aligned with a European Council sanctions decision earlier this month to amend the list of individuals and entities subject to restrictions on those undermining the sovereignty of Ukraine. The countries of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway also imposed the decision, the council said.