Germany asked the European Union to impose sanctions on Russia for a 2015 cyberattack on Germany’s parliament, Germany’s Federal Foreign Office said May 28, according to an unofficial translation. Germany said it will ask the EU to invoke its “cyber sanctions regime … with respect to those responsible for the attack,” including Russian national Dmitri Badin. Germany issued an arrest warrant for Badin after alleging he worked with others to “carry out intelligence activities” against the country. Germany added that it is considering “further measures.”
The European Union will no longer require EU-wide export authorizations for personal protective equipment. The export authorization scheme, first announced in March (see 2003200029), was intended to ensure adequate EU supply of medical goods during the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Commission said in a May 26 notice. The commission said the scheme “served its purpose” and “there have been no requests to prolong the scheme.” It officially ended May 26.
Russia is considering a draft bill that would allow imports of sanctioned goods under certain circumstances, according to a May 22 post on a Baker McKenzie blog. The bill, proposed earlier this month, will allow imports if the goods constitute “essential commodities that do not have analogues in Russia” or if Russia is experiencing a shortage of those goods due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Baker McKenzie said.
European Union and Japanese leaders issued a May 26 joint statement laying out their commitments to trade cooperation and a reduction of trade barriers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The two sides, speaking during a video teleconference, said they are committed to sustaining the “flow of medical supplies, agricultural products, raw materials and other goods,” adding that any restrictive trade measures should be consistent with World Trade Organization Rules. Both sides also spoke against “unnecessary” export restrictions that may limit trade.
The United Kingdom and Poland agreed to build a “major infrastructure hub” outside Warsaw that will boost the region’s international transportation and improve trade, the U.K. said in a May 21 press release. The U.K. said the project will benefit British businesses and Poland’s trade prospects by providing another avenue to connect with trade partners. “Poland is an ever more important trade partner for the UK and I’m delighted that … British firms’ experience and expertise can be at the heart of delivering this major boost to Poland’s trade and prosperity,” U.K. Minister for Exports Graham Stuart said in a statement.
The European Council will temporarily extend certain certificates and licenses relating to road, rail and water transport and will relax rules on charging ships for using port infrastructure, the EC said May 20. The measures (see 2005120030) aim to help those in the transportation sector that are struggling to meet “certain administrative formalities before the expiry of the relevant deadlines,” it said. The European Union will also suspend “periodic checks in the road, rail, inland navigation and shipping sectors” and will give EU ports the option to suspend, reduce or defer port-related fees issued between March 1, 2020, and Oct. 31, 2020. The measures are expected to take effect this week.
Austria recently announced measures to support its economy during the COVID-19 pandemic, including tax exemptions for certain imports and reduced value-added tax rates, according to a May 15 KPMG post. The measures include a customs procedure that “provides a tax exemption for imports concerning delivery of another [European Union] country,” KPMG said. The country will also eliminate the VAT rate for supplies of protective masks supplied after April 13 and before Aug. 1, 2020.
The U.K.’s Department for International Trade released its Most Favored Nation tariff regime, which will replace the European Union’s Common External Tariff after the Brexit transition period ends, the U.K. said May 19. The regime, the U.K. Global Tariff (UKGT), will be “simpler” and “easier” to use than the EU’s system, the U.K. said, adding that it will “scrap red tape and other unnecessary barriers to trade.” The UKGT will simplify nearly 6,000 tariff lines and eliminate “thousands of unnecessary tariff variations on products” by abandoning the EU’s “complex” Meursing table, the U.K. said. Other changes include “scrapping unnecessary tariff variations, rounding tariffs down to standardised percentages, and getting rid of all ‘nuisance tariffs’ (those below 2%).”
The United Kingdom issued a notice May 15 reminding traders that prior surveillance import licenses are no longer required to import steel or aluminum goods as of May 16. The update stems from a change made by the European Commission to the European Union’s prior surveillance import licensing regime, the U.K. said. Traders should email enquiries.ilb@trade.gov.uk if they experience issues with the license requirement when trying to clear goods.
Luxembourg ended its relief for late submissions of value-added tax returns, according to a May 13 post from KPMG. The measure, originally issued to help industry cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, was ended May 12, KPMG said. All pending VAT returns not yet submitted “need to be filed as soon as possible to avoid potential penalties,” the post said. A number of countries have introduced VAT relief measures to help companies mitigate impacts of the pandemic (see 2005050018, 2004240005, 2004030023, 2004030016 and 2004030022).