Sanctioned Russian shadow fleet vessels can receive port access and services at an EU port if they’re carrying dangerous or polluting goods that need to be unloaded, the European Commission said in a new FAQ last week. Those vessels can offload “for a unique emergency port call” if they were sanctioned while they were carrying the cargo, the FAQ said, “and in any case not later than 30 days from the date of targeting.” It also said a “60-day winddown period is justified” in cases where other circumstances “do not allow for an earlier offloading of the dangerous or polluting goods and serious risks persist that could endanger human life, marine environments, and coastal infrastructure.”

The European Commission on June 20 extended antidumping duties on graphite electrode systems from China to cover artificial graphite in blocks or cylinders in an effort to combat duty circumvention, the Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security announced. The commission said it found in an investigation that the AD on graphite electrode systems from China was being circumvented by entries of artificial graphite, which is the main input material of graphite electrode systems. The AD rate on artificial graphite that is used to produce GES will be set at 74.9%.

The European Commission on June 19 decided to exclude Chinese companies from EU government purchases of medical devices exceeding $5.7 million following the first investigation under the EU's International Procurement Instrument. The decision allows no more than 50% of Chinese inputs for successful bids, the commission said. The EU said it will add exceptions "where no alternative suppliers exist."

Negotiators from the Council of the European Union's presidency and the European Parliament struck a provisional deal June 18 to exempt most importers from the bloc's carbon border adjustment mechanism, the council announced.

The European Commission on June 16 unveiled a proposal to gradually stop the import of Russian oil and gas by the end of 2027. The commission said the proposal follows a plan adopted last month to fully phase out Russian gas imports (see 2505060027).

The U.K. last week updated a general license authorizing insolvency-related payments and activities involving Russian aircraft leasing companies GTLK Europe and GTLK Capital. The changes add new definitions for "notes, Noteholders, Trustee, Relevant non-UK Institution, UK Prohibited Persons and UK Prohibited Persons Account," clarified that certain funds must be held in frozen accounts, revised a notification requirement and a record-keeping requirement, and added a new reporting requirement.

The European Commission is adding multiple countries to its list of high-risk jurisdictions with “strategic deficiencies” in their national anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism regimes. The additions are Algeria, Angola, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Monaco, Namibia, Nepal and Venezuela. The EU also will delist Barbados, Gibraltar, Jamaica, Panama, the Philippines, Senegal, Uganda and the United Arab Emirates.

The Council of the European Union on June 12 decided to grant "equivalence" with EU requirements to Ukraine and Moldova regarding field inspection and seed production standards for various seeds. In Ukraine, the EU extended the equivalence to seeds of beet, sunflowers, swede rape and soya beans made and certified in that country. In Moldova, the council granted the equivalence to seeds of fodder plants.

The Council of the EU on June 12 imposed tariffs on agricultural products and fertilizers from Russia and Belarus that weren't subject to the additional customs duties thus far imposed on related products. The council said the goal is to "reduce EU dependence on those imports" and "reduce Russian export revenues" in a bid to limit Russia's ability to fund its war against Ukraine.

The European Commission on June 12 imposed definitive antidumping duties of 131.1% on vanillin from China, the Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security announced. Vanillin is a flavoring used in foods, perfumes and pharmaceuticals, the commission said.