A group of European countries not in the EU aligned with five recent sanctions actions taken by the bloc pertaining to those who undermine the sovereignty of Ukraine, the European Council announced. In September, the European Council extended the restrictions until March. North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway imposed the decision.
The EU added 18 people and 19 entities to its Iran sanctions regime in response to the violent crackdown on protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman arrested by the morality police who died in custody, the European Council announced. The listed individuals include government representatives, parliament members, media figures and high-ranking members of the Iranian security forces. The sanctions on Iran now cover 164 individuals and 31 entities and amount to an asset freeze and travel ban for those on the list, along with trade sanctions and export controls.
The U.K. House of Commons' International Trade Committee opened a call for evidence as part of its inquiry on the U.K.'s trade sanctions on Russia. Interested experts, stakeholders and parties that can speak to the role the Department for International Trade plays in developing, implementing and enforcing the trade-related parts of the sanctions on Russia can submit evidence by March 17. The committee said it also wants evidence pertaining to the impact of Russian trade-related sanctions on U.K. businesses, supply chains and consumers, as well as the effectiveness of government support in mitigating the impact of the sanctions.
The Council of Europe recently began a review of EU member state practices for identifying individuals and entities holding effective control of sanctioned companies. The council mentioned the study during a recent conference it helped organize alongside the European Commission, saying the conference "aimed to provide an opportunity to exchange practices and share experience about real cases of identification of persons holding effective control and establishment of firewalls." The study is part of a broader effort by the council to improve the abilities of the Czech Republic, Latvia, Malta and others in complying with EU sanctions against Russia.
USDA is accepting applications from exporters for its upcoming trade mission in the Netherlands, the agency's Foreign Agricultural Service said this month. The April 17-20 trade mission, the first to Amsterdam, will allow U.S. agricultural exporters to meet with potential buyers from the Netherlands, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Belgium and Germany, USDA said. FAS Administrator Daniel Whitley said U.S. exporters "may find the Netherlands to be a perfect gateway to Europe." The agency noted that Rotterdam is Europe’s largest seaport and "positions the Netherlands as a further processing and distribution hub to facilitate exports across Northern Europe and beyond," especially for fats and oils, grains, pulses, seeds, forestry products, beef, dairy, nuts, seafood, alcohol and more. Applications are due Jan. 26.
The European market may not be prepared for the imposition by the EU, the G-7 and its allies of the Russian fuel price cap, which is due to take effect Feb. 5, and the simultaneous prohibition from the EU on nearly all Russian oil imports. While current restrictions apply to Russia's crude oil shipments, the upcoming cap and ban on refined fuels, diesel in particular, has market experts worried about a price spike, Bloomberg reported. The EU will need to replace around 600,000 barrels a day of diesel imports, while Russia will scramble to get new buyers, find storage or cut refinery production.
Various European countries outside the EU aligned themselves with a string of six recent sanctions decisions made by the European Council, the EC said in Jan. 16 news releases.
Ukraine imposed sanctions on 198 Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian citizens for their role in Russia's war in Ukraine, under a decree from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to an unofficial translation. The sanctions include asset freezes, restrictions on the withdrawal of capital from Ukraine and trade restrictions. In an address, Zelenskyy said the individuals include those "who justify terror" and spread Russian misinformation.
The U.N. Security Council and the U.K. this week added one entry to its ISIL (Da'esh) and al-Qaida sanctions regimes. The designation targets Pakistan national Abdul Rehman Makki, who is the chief of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, a militant Islamist organization. The U.K. also corrected the entry for Mohammad Jafar Montazeri under its Iran (Human Rights) sanctions list.
The U.S. and the EU signed a tariff-rate-quota agreement to adjust for the exit of the U.K. from the EU. The products are almost entirely agricultural, but plywood also is covered. The agreement was publicized Jan. 17.