The Council of the European Union sanctioned two members of Russia's judiciary for committing serious human rights violations and undermining democracy and the rule of law in Russia, the council announced Dec. 22. It said Dmitry Gordeev, a judge of the Moscow City Court, has "repeatedly issued politically motivated rulings against opposition figures and human rights defenders," and Lyudmila Balandina, a prosecutor, has pursued cases against critics of the Russian regime.
The European Commission is seeking public comments on possible export tariffs on certain aluminum scrap, which it said could lead to proposed "targeted measures" as soon as the spring. The consultation period comes after the EU in March adopted a steel and metals "action plan" that stressed the importance of ensuring "sufficient availability of scrap for EU producers." That plan said the Commission planned to examine "whether additional measures, such as export fees or export duties, are necessary." Comments are due by the end of Jan. 31.
The U.K.'s Export Control Joint Unit last week added anhydrous ammonia to the scope of a Russia-related general license that authorizes certain trade in fertilizers. The license covers certain financial services and other activities that make funds available to people connected with Russia "for the supply or delivery of specified fertiliser goods from Russia to a third country and making specified fertiliser goods available from Russia to a person in a third country," as long as they're intended for agricultural use.
The U.K. extended its antidumping duties on aluminum foil in rolls from China until June 6, 2029. Specifically, the duties cover aluminum foil "of a thickness of 0.007mm or more but less than 0.021mm, not backed, not further worked than rolled but whether or not embossed, in low weight rolls of a weight not exceeding 10kg." Respondent CeDo (Shanghai) will receive a 14.2% AD rate, respondent Ningbo Times Aluminum Foil Technology will receive a 15.6% rate, respondents that weren't individually investigated will receive a 14.6% rate, and the all-others rate will be 35.6%.
The U.K. on Dec. 18 issued a new Russia-related general license allowing certain wind-down transactions with Russian oil companies Russneft, Tatneft, Rusneftegaz Group, NNK-Oil and any of their subsidiaries. The license also authorizes "the closing out of any positions" involving those entities. It expires 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 31.
The EU is aiming to expand the scope of its upcoming carbon border tariff to apply to 180 steel and "aluminium-intensive" products produced downstream.
The U.K.'s Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation published guidance this week on reporting suspected sanctions violations, including what kind of information such reports should include and who should submit them.
The Council of the European Union on Dec. 12 agreed to impose a fixed customs duty of around $3.52 on "small parcels" valued at less than $176 entering the EU, "largely via e-commerce," starting on July 1, 2026. The measure comes as the bloc moves to eliminate a provision that exempts low-value imports from tariffs (see 2511130008).
Rome's legislative body is reviewing two initiatives that should "reshape the compliance landscape" for companies operating in Italy, including one that would make sanctions violations a criminal offense and another that would change how companies are held liable for trade violations committed by employees, law firm McDermott Will said in a client alert this month.
The European Commission on Dec. 10 opened an investigation on Chinese threat-detection system maker Nuctech for allegedly receiving foreign subsidies "that could distort the EU internal market." A commission "ex officio" inquiry opened in April 2024 with authorities conducting inspections of Nuctech facilities in Poland and the Netherlands, finding a "number of measures granted by the" Chinese government to Nuctech that "may constitute foreign subsidies distorting the internal market," the commission said.