The U.K. unveiled new trade-easing measures to support Ukraine as it fights against Russia, the Department for International Trade announced April 25. Tariffs on all goods from Ukraine will be eliminated, and a new export ban will be imposed on goods that Russia could use against Ukrainians, the DIT said. The U.K. called removing the tariffs key to aiding the Ukrainian economy, particularly for exports such as barley, honey, canned tomatoes and poultry. The export ban will cover products including "interception and monitoring equipment," to close any loopholes in the U.K.'s export restrictions regime on Russia.
The European Parliament has a goal of reaching an agreement with the European Council on how to structure a carbon border adjustment measure by the end of this year, but Domien Vangenechten, from the Brussels location of the E3G think tank, believes that's a "very optimistic deadline.... I'm very skeptical of that happening." He said it could take until mid-2023 or late 2023.
The U.K. amended its general license permitting certain activity with sanctioned Russian banks to include Sberbank CIB (UK), the British subsidiary of Sberbank, it said April 22. The license allows Sberbank CIB (UK) or any entity owned or controlled by the bank and incorporated in the U.K. to pay expenses for their "base needs," routine holding and maintenance expenses, and reasonable professional fees for the provision of legal services. The amended license took effect March 1 and will expire April 3, 2023.
North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia imposed the EU's recent sanctions on Syria, the European Council announced April 22. In February, the EC added five individuals to its Syria sanctions list.
The possibility of passing a ban on the import of goods made with forced labor, first mentioned last year by the EU president (see 2109210030), is slowly advancing through the European Parliament, as a trade committee asked a European Commission official for more information before the legislative language is released.
The EU and India will create their own trade and technology council and will soon restart negotiations on a free trade agreement, the two sides said April 25. The EU hopes the increased collaboration can “deepen our strategic ties” with India, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
The EU issued a correction April 25 to its implementing regulation that in effect exempted three Taiwanese companies from antidumping duties imposed on imports of certain tube and pipe fittings, of iron or steel, originating in China and extended to the same products originating in Taiwan, because they were found not to be circumventing AD measures. But a second regulation had repealed the exemption for two of the companies -- Chup Hsin Enterprise and Niang Hong Pipe Fittings. This meant that the implementing regulation, as worded, incorrectly still exempted imports made by Chup Hsin and Niang Hong. The correction removes those two companies from the list of exempted companies, leaving only the third, Rigid Industries Co. Ltd., with effect from Jan. 26, 2022, from which date there will be retroactive collection of AD on imports of the fittings produced by Chup Hsin and Niang Hong. The extension also covers similar goods from Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Philippines, whether declared as originating from these countries or not.
The U.K. and India touted efforts to bolster trade cooperation during British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's official visit to India April 21-22, calling for resolutions to "all pending market access issues in a balanced manner." Johnson and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the ongoing Free Trade Agreement talks that launched in January and steps to cement the mutual recognition of qualifications and a framework for nursing staff and continued cooperation on issues over social security arrangements and legal services.
The U.K. House of Commons released a research briefing April 20 that highlights British sanctions against Russia since 2014 and the current waves of restrictions relating to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The report also discusses the role of secondary sanctions, efforts to crack down on loopholes aimed at circumventing sanctions and work on coordinating the measures with allies.
The EU launched a partial review of the antidumping duty order on open mesh fabrics of glass fibers from China extended to imports from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand, whether declared as originating from these countries or not, for the purposes of granting an exemption to one Indian exporter, the European Commission said April 21. Urja Products Private Ltd. requested an exemption from the duties, alleging it didn't export the product during the review period, April 1, 2012, to March 31, 2013, used in the investigation that led to the extended measures.