The United Kingdom launched an online portal Oct. 1 for exporters to access advice from the U.K.'s export support team, the Department for International Trade said. This “one-stop shop” seeks to make it easier for exporters to access advice and support from the U.K. government on shipping their goods to the rest of Europe. This guidance can aid exporters on questions surrounding rules of origin, recognizing professional qualifications and entering new markets, DIT said.

The United Kingdom extended the termination dates for its memorandums of understanding with Samoa and with the Solomon Islands by six months, a Sept. 30 notice said. Both MOUs had been set to expire nine months after coming into effect, the Department for International Trade said. The MOUs apply the effects of the interim Economic Partnership Agreement between the U.K. and the two Pacific Island countries and were implemented Jan. 1.

The United Kingdom's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation delisted five individuals from its Syria sanctions regime in a Sept. 30 notice. The individuals are Nizar Al Assad, a Syrian businessperson; Ahmad Al Qadri, former agriculture and agrarian reform minister; Mohammad Maen Zein-al-Abadin Jazba, former minister of industry; Ali Habib Mahmoud, former minister of defense; and Salam Tohme, former deputy director general of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre.

The European Commission gave notice Oct. 1 of the impending expiry of the anti-subsidy and antidumping duties on certain coated fine paper from China, unless a review of the duties is initiated. European Union manufacturers can submit a written request for a review up to three months before the July 5, 2022, expiration date.

The European Union extended its COVID-19 vaccine export transparency and authorization system until Dec. 31 and intends no further extensions, the European Commission said Sept. 30. The system was intended to ensure that vaccine manufacturers in Europe fulfill their contractual obligations with the EU and applies only to companies with which the EU has negotiated an advance purchase agreement. The controls require these companies to notify their member state authorities of their intention to export COVID-19 vaccines. Beginning Jan. 1, 2022, the commission will use a new monitoring system that will give company-specific and timely vaccine export data, the commission said. This will ensure transparency without export controls, it said.

The European Commission in a Sept. 30 notice announced the impending expiration of antidumping duties on melamine from China, unless a review of the duties is initiated. European Union manufacturers can submit a written request for a review up to three months before the July 2, 2022, expiration date.

The United Kingdom's navy captured evidence of ships violating United Nations sanctions on North Korea in the East China Sea, the Defense Ministry said. HMS Richmond conducted operations in the East China Sea, finding evidence that ships provided fuel or refined petroleum products to North Korea, in violation of the sanctions established in 2017. HMS Richmond detached from the U.K. Carrier Strike Group deployed in the Indo-Pacific. The operations mark the first time since 2019 that a Royal Navy ship has supported U.N. sanctions monitoring and enforcement activity, the ministry said.

The first talks between the United Kingdom and the 11 members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership kicked off Sept. 28, the U.K.'s Department for International Trade said. While pact members have met to discuss the U.K.'s accession to the trade agreement, the Sept. 28 meeting was the first to include the U.K. The opening talks focused on how the U.K. would meet the CPTPP's standards, DIT said.

The United Kingdom will make mandatory the inclusion of Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) numbers on license applications and registrations in the SPIRE licensing system, the Department for International Trade said Sept. 27. The U.K. said export control license applicants will need to provide an EORI issued by Revenue and Customs. The EORI will begin with GB and be followed by 12 digits; the applicant will need to enter only the 12 digits. This requirement will take effect in late autumn 2021, DIT said.

The United Kingdom published it first national risk assessment for proliferation financing. The Sept. 23 document covers the U.K.'s strategic, regulatory and operation framework for countering proliferation financing, proliferation financing threats facing the U.K. and vulnerabilities to proliferation financing in Britain. European Sanctions reported on the assessment's key findings, including that “the UK has a robust counter-proliferation legal framework, including its autonomous sanctions regimes,” and “the UK’s financial system is at significant risk from PF given its position in the global financial system, transparency, involvement in the legitimate trade of sensitive/dual-use items and the ease with which actors may set up shell companies in the UK.” North Korea and Iran exist as key proliferation financiers affecting the U.K. financial system, with China and Syria also in the mix, the assessment said.