The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week fined Colorado-based Newmont Corp. and Florida-based Chisu International Corp. after the two mining companies bought Cuban-origin “explosives and explosive accessories” from a third-party vendor. The agency announced a $141,442 settlement with Newmont and a $45,908 settlement with Chisu for violating the Cuban Assets Control Regulations.
Aviastar, the Russian cargo airline made subject to a temporary denial order last week (see 2204210043), continued to illegally fly multiple U.S.-origin aircraft after the U.S. in March announced restrictions on those flights (see 2203020072), including to China, the Bureau of Industry and Security said in its April 21 order. Flights included trips from the Russian cities of Novosibirsk and Abakan to the Chinese cities of Hangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhengzhou. All the trips, which took place April 5 to April 12, required approved license applications.
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.
The Biden administration should “employ all tools necessary” to stop Chinese-owned Nexperia’s acquisition of Newport Wafer Fab (NWF), a U.K.-based chip facility, the Republican-led China Task Force said in a letter to the White House released April 21. If the acquisition is completed, the U.S. should remove the U.K. from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. white list and impose strict export controls on shipments to NWF, the House members said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on April 20 sanctioned more than 40 people and entities -- including Russian commercial bank Transkapitalbank -- for operating a sanctions evasion network. The agency also issued two new general licenses authorizing certain transactions with the bank and sanctioned a range of companies for operating in Russia’s virtual currency mining industry.
Mexico recently adopted new requirements that will affect certain imported prepackaged juices, coconut water, nectars and nonalcoholic beverages, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported April 19. The imports must meet certain labeling requirements and other “specifications” related to “product denomination, physicochemical specifications and ingredients,” HKTDC said. The changes take effect Aug. 27, but covered goods must comply with the new labeling requirements starting Jan. 1, 2023. Importers “may place labels, stickers or decals on top of the original labels” as long as “all required disclosures are included,” the report said.
The U.K. on April 14 announced a new wave of sectoral sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. The restrictions include a ban on the export of luxury goods to Russia, a prohibition on the import of iron and steel goods that are consigned from or originate in Russia and a ban on the direct or indirect acquisition of iron and steel products from Russia or located in Russia. As part of the luxury goods ban, the restrictions prohibit the supply or delivery of luxury goods from a third country to a place in Russia, the making of luxury goods available to a person connected with Russia and the making of luxury goods available for use in Russia.
The U.S. should redouble efforts to control emerging and foundational technologies, establish a new outbound investment screening regime and create a new multilateral export control forum with close allies, said Emily Kilcrease, an economic statecraft expert with the Center for a New American Security. A new multilateral regime could be challenging to stand up, Kilcrease said, but is “imperative” to prevent proliferation of sensitive technologies to adversaries, including China and Russia.
Vietnam’s new rules of origin under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership took effect this month, allowing Vietnamese exports to RCEP countries to benefit from preferential tariffs, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported April 8. RCEP goods imported into Vietnam will also benefit from low tariffs when they are accompanied with a certificate of origin, HKTDC said, and importers must submit that proof of origin to the country’s customs authority, with some exemptions.
Imports of rice and dried tobacco leaves from Cambodia may enter Vietnam under tariff quotas for 2021 and 2022, the state-run CustomsNews said April 10. The TRQ for rice is 300,000 tonnes per year and the TRQ for dried tobacco leaves is 3,000 tonnes per year. To get the special rate under the quota, traders must have a certificate of origin Form S issued by the Cambodian Ministry of Trade or authorized agency, and they must be cleared at certain border gates, the report said. The TRQ preferential tax rate is good from April 15 through the end of 2022.