The U.K.'s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation published a new license last week that authorizes certain transactions related to news media services. The license allows the provision of "goods or services" that "are necessary for the provision of News Media Services," along with activities that are "reasonably necessary to effect the receipt or provision of News Media Services, including making or receiving Permitted Payments." The license also authorizes U.K. financial institutions to process those payments.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he and President Donald Trump discussed how to "decisively increase the pressure" on Russian President Vladimir Putin "to get him to agree to a peace deal."

The European Commission on Sept. 16 proposed a new agenda to "raise bilateral relations with India to a higher level." The proposal includes measures to boost defense industrial cooperation, and the commission said it supports launching negotiations for a "Security of Information Agreement to facilitate classified information exchange," which "will support closer security and defence cooperation." The commission also called for closer cooperation in addressing Russia's war in Ukraine, "shadow fleets, and sanctions." The proposal also mentions finalizing the ongoing EU-India Free Trade Agreement talks and reinforcing supply chains "while promoting critical emerging technologies and engagement on digital issues, with particular attention to strengthening economic security within the Trade and Technology Council."

The U.K.'s secretary of state for business and trade, Peter Kyle, visited China Sept. 10-11, where he raised Britain's concerns "on national and economic security issues," including the continued "provision of military support to Russia" by Chinese companies, the ministry said last week. Kyle also spoke with Beijing about Chinese export controls on rare earths (see 2507070005) and how they impact supply chains, and he "challenged the Chinese government on the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong and human rights concerns."

Norway is launching a new export licensing system on Sept. 25 that it's expecting will improve the "user experience," the Norwegian Agency for Export Control and Sanctions said this week, according to an unofficial translation. The new system will feature new templates for licenses, the agency said, "and a decision letter with information will accompany each license." It also will make it "easier" for users to manage licenses for more than one company if they "represent multiple businesses and enterprises," allow users "access to new case types such as sanctions and sanctions reporting and general transfer licenses," and improve communication between the government and license applicants through SMS notifications.

The U.K.'s Export Control Joint Unit this week updated its guidance for its end-user and stockist undertaking form, which must be completed by the end user or stockist of the exported items if they're sent under a standard individual export license, a standard individual trade control license or a license to provide technical assistance. The U.K. specifically updated its definition for "ultimate end-user," which is the entity that "receives and uses the final items from the end-user or intermediate user," including if the items have been altered, processed, installed or incorporated into another item, or after they have been held in stock or interim storage. "The end-user and ultimate end-user can be different entities but are not always," the agency said.

The EU is planning new sanctions against Russia, Israel and human-smuggling networks, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in her state of the union speech this week.

The European Parliament on Sept. 10 gave its final approval for a revised carbon border adjustment mechanism that it said will exempt 90% of European importers from the new rules. The change, first unveiled by the European Commission in a May proposal (see 2505230008 and 2506180053), aims to “reduce the administrative burden” for smaller and mid-sized European companies, or those that are “occasional importers,” the Parliament said.

Vanquis Bank Limited, the British bank that the U.K. said failed to stop a newly sanctioned person from withdrawing money from their account (see 2509080008), has "taken steps to strengthen our screening processes to prevent similar incidents" in the future, a spokesperson said this week. The spokesperson also stressed that the U.K. government didn't impose a fine against the bank, the issue was self-reported, and the bank cooperated with the government's investigation.

The European Commission issued new guidance this week to clarify how its Russia-related sanctions apply to parties and entities “acting on behalf or at the direction of” a sanctioned Russian party. New FAQ 17 says the commission may consider that an EU subsidiary is acting on behalf of a Russian parent company if the subsidiary obtains approvals from the parent company, carries out “instructions given directly or indirectly” by the parent company, or appoints or dismisses any “authorised representatives” associated with the company. The EU subsidiary may need to put in place “a public trusteeship or a similar firewall measure” to prevent any sanctions violations, the guidance said.