The U.K. has finished gathering public input from industry about the Trump administration’s recent tariff measures (see 2504030057) and is working to “rapidly” analyze the responses “while keeping all options on the table,” the country’s Department for Business and Trade said May 2. It also said possible trade negotiations with the U.S. to remove the tariffs “continue at pace and remain our focus.” The U.K. earlier this year published a list of over 8,000 goods imported from the U.S. that possibly could be hit with retaliatory tariffs.

EU and Lithuanian authorities last month raided a logistics business suspected of illegally exporting items to Russia and Belarus, seizing more than $1.7 million worth of goods from the company. The items allegedly were made in EU countries before the company rerouted them through Central Asian countries to circumvent EU sanctions, the European Anti-Fraud Office and the Lithuanian Customs Criminal Service said.

The EU and Canada on May 14 will hold a virtual "debrief" to industry members after the two sides' seventh annual meeting of their regulatory cooperation forum earlier that day. Registration for the debrief closes May 5. The forum was created under the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement to help the two sides better harmonize trade regulations.

The U.K. this week published a plan to reform its system for streamlining imports of goods that benefit from duty-free entry because they’re being imported temporarily, part of a broader package of tax updates released by the country’s revenue and customs agency. The changes will help businesses that import goods for short-term projects, exhibitions or events, the agency said, and “reflect the government’s commitment to a modern customs regime which supports businesses and responds to global trade and complex supply chains.” It’s also expecting the updates to “improve the customer experience for businesses engaging with customs.”

The EU this week updated its guidance about what types of Russia-related services are prohibited or exempt by sanctions. One new FAQ says EU nationals aren't necessarily barred from working for a Russian company as long as they aren't providing any of the EU's "listed" restricted services or software to the Russian government. "EU persons can still provide all services that are not prohibited in their capacity as employees," the guidance said.

The European Commission on April 28 imposed definitive countervailing duties on mobile access equipment from China. The duties range from 7.3% to 14.2% and accompany antidumping duties imposed by the comission on the same products in January. The commission said the combined AD and CVD measures now range from 20.6% and 66.7%.

The U.K. on April 22 extended its countervailing duty on biodiesel from Argentina for five years following a review of the duties by the Trade Remedies Authority. The extension takes effect April 23 and ends Feb. 13, 2029. The U.K. also excluded sustainable aviation fuel from the scope of the duties as part of its decision. The duties themselves range from 25% to 33.4% and include a 33.4% rate for all non-individually examined companies.

The European Commission earlier this month released a "coordination framework" that allows EU member states to voluntarily identify "similar risks and to coordinate with designing national" export control lists. The proposal also "facilitates the exchange of information among Member States and the Commission prior to and after" adopting the national control lists. Member states may additionally consider and benefit from "any additional information provided by other Member States or the Commission" under the proposal. The framework said that shared information might include the scope of the control list, the impact of the list on "EU economic operators" and other "relevant information for the preparation " of the list.

The U.K.'s Export Control Joint Unit issued an updated version of its open general export license authorizing certain shipments of dual-use items for the oil, gas and renewable energy industries. The agency updated the license to "permit exports to the continental shelf of coastal destinations which are themselves included as permitted destinations," it said. The license took effect April 15.

The European Commission on April 11 extended its antidumping duties on monosodium glutamate (MSG) from China to cover imports from Malaysia, following an anti-circumvention investigation on Malaysian MSG. The commission said the investigation found that the exports had "increased significantly" following the imposition of duties on Chinese MSG due to duty evasion. The move imposes 39.7% AD on Malaysian MSG. The commission said it uncovered assembly operations with Chinese raw materials to which less than 25% value was added, along with transshipment of Chinese MSG via Malaysia.