The top trade official in the EU, Valdis Dombrovskis, said that he would talk about the changes they want to the Inflation Reduction Act during his planned meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai on Jan. 17. He said there have been improvements on how the tax credits for electrical vehicles will be applied, but said, "We're continuing to work on supplies and inputs into batteries and how to make some progress there," as well as other areas.

The U.K.'s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Export Control Joint Unit on Jan. 10 issued updated guidance on the arms embargo on Armenia and Azerbaijan. The updates say that "[s]upplies of military list equipment to other end-users; such as, humanitarian, peacekeeping, research or media organisations, will not be considered subject to the embargo, unless there is a clear risk of diversion to the armed forces, police or security forces of either state."

The EU will impose new sanctions on Belarus for its support of Russia's war in Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a Jan. 10 statement. Speaking at a joint news conference with North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and European Council President Charles Michel after signing the joint declaration on EU-NATO cooperation, von der Leyen said sanctions will continue to be a tool used against Russian aggression. "We will extend these sanctions to those who militarily support Russia's war such as Belarus or Iran," the president said. "And we will be coming forward with new sanctions against Belarus, answering Belarus' role in this Russian war in Ukraine."

The EU this week officially opened registration for its next stakeholder event on the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council. The Jan. 31 virtual event will feature “broad exchange and information on the outcomes of the third TTC Ministerial Meeting, announced initiatives and ongoing work progress within the EU-U.S. Trade and Technology Council Working Groups.”

The U.K. updated or amended four of its General Licenses under its Russia sanctions regime, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation said last week. The licenses pertain to the oil price cap, "winddown" of positions subject to the oil price cap, correspondent banking and payment processing and projects and countries' exemption from the oil price cap.

The U.K. updated its guidance on its Russian sanctions regime Jan. 5, the Export Control Joint Unit said. The guidance was changed to "clarify the application of prohibitions on the provision of technical assistance relating to, and making available or transferral of, aviation and space goods and technology or critical-industry goods and technology."

The U.K. is reverting to 20 working days as the time exporters are allowed to respond to requests for information, the Department for International Trade announced Jan. 5. The administrative change shifts the policy back to pre-COVID-19 standards. The U.K. gave exporters 40 working days to respond to requests for information during the pandemic.

Germany's new Supply Chain Law, which took effect Jan. 1, will allow the country to fine companies if they fail to ensure that their suppliers don't engage in human rights violations and harmful economic practices Bloomberg reported Jan. 5. The law applies to companies with at least 3,000 employees, though that number will be lowered to 1,000 in 2024. The law requires firms to implement a strict risk management and analysis and documentation system to ensure minimum standards in human and environmental rights at both the domestic and international level.

Russia extended until the end of 2023 its "simplified procedure" for importing electronic devices and equipment, the Russian government announced Jan. 4, according to an unofficial translation. The streamlined procedure can be used for goods that support cryptographic capabilities, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, computers and walkie-talkies. The procedure eliminates the requirement to give customs authorities certain information involving the imports if the devices are components for the industrial production of equipment in Russia, the government said.

The U.K. Dec. 30 revoked 26 open general licenses, all of which were originally made to be used in parallel with licenses that had been "locked against further registration," the Department for International Trade announced. The original licenses were unlocked Sept. 30, making the parallel licenses redundant. The parallel licenses covered a range of goods, including chemicals, military items, energy products and dual-use goods.