The EU removed Russia as a permitted destination for dual-use general exports, revoking the general export authorizations for Russia, in a May 3 move from the European Commission. The authorizations were set up under the EU's dual-use export control regime in May 2021. "In light of Russia’s illegal attack on Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence and the respective threats to the Union’s essential security interests, the Union decided to impose further restrictions on exports of dual-use goods and technology and on the provision of related services," the commission said. The regulation restricts trade of dual-use goods on navigation goods and technologies, goods and services for Russia's energy industry, excluding nuclear and the downstream energy transport sector, and a host of advanced technologies.
The European Commission on May 3 officially adopted a regulation to remove Russia from the scope of the EU’s general export authorizations. The regulation, which was adopted due to Russia’s “illegal attack” on Ukraine, is meant to “prevent Russia from gaining access to critical technologies and dual-use items,” the regulation said.
The U.K. will investigate whether British-made weapons parts are being used by Russia in its war in Ukraine, The Guardian reported May 2. The U.K. probe stems from a report by the Royal United Services Institute, which said Ukrainian armed forces recovered Russian weapons and systems with a “‘consistent pattern’ of dependence on foreign-made components,” including from the U.K. Although the RUSI report didn’t suggest any “wrongdoing” by U.K. manufacturers, it still “raised concerns that parts made in the UK could still find their way to Russia” despite strict export controls and sanctions.
The European Council announced in three separate notices April 28 that a group of non-EU European countries aligned with the union's recent sanctions moves on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine; on Iran; and on Myanmar.
The Russian Foreign Ministry announced additional sanctions on 287 current and former members of the U.K. Parliament in retaliation for the U.K.'s sanctions on 386 members of the Russian State Duma, according to an unofficial translation. The restrictions amount to a travel ban and include Lindsay Hoyle, the speaker of the House of Commons.
The EU General Court annulled the European Council acts keeping Ferdinand Ilunga Luyoyo on the EU's Democratic Republic of the Congo sanctions list. The court found that Ilunga Luyoyo, the former commander of the National Intervention Legion in the Congolese national police, no longer held the positions that landed him on the list and that the council failed to give sufficient evidence linking him and the security situation in the DRC, according to an unofficial translation.
The U.K. and Switzerland have embarked on negotiations over a new free trade agreement, the U.K.'s Department for International Trade said following a meeting between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Swiss President Ignazio Cassis. Ahead of further talks, DIT opened an eight-week consultation so that businesses and other stakeholders can submit comments on how best to approach negotiations. DIT highlighted digital trade and innovative services as key points of negotiations moving forward.
The U.K. issued a General License under its Russia sanctions regime, permitting various law enforcement and regulatory authorities to carry out "any action necessary to comply with" orders made by various U.K. courts, forfeiture notices or external order from the secretary of state. The license permits an individual to carry out any action needed to comply with certain asset recovery developments, including a negotiated settlement with a regulatory agency or an approved deferred prosecution agreement to which a regulatory agency is a party.
The EU appointed Goulielmos Valasidis of Greece to the General Court, the European Council announced April 27. Eight other judges were reappointed: Geert De Baere and Paul Nihoul of Belgium; Sten Frimodt Nielsen and Jesper Svenningsen of Denmark; Krisztian Kecsmar of Hungary; Marc van der Woude of the Netherlands; and Maria Jose Costeira and Ricardo da Silva Passos of Portugal. Terms run Sept. 1, 2022, through Aug. 31, 2028.
The EU laid out a plan to suspend all import duties on Ukrainian exports for one year to aid the Ukrainian economy through its war with Russia, the European Commission announced. In all, the proposal would have the EU lift all import duties, including antidumping and safeguard measures currently in place on Ukrainian steel shipments. The U.K. announced an identical move April 25, offering to cast off all tariffs on goods from Ukraine (see 2204260018). Along with broadcasting its intention to do the same, the commission said that the EU is also taking steps to "facilitate overland goods transport to help get Ukrainian products out into the world."