India's Directorate General of Foreign Trade added new features to its Scrip Transfer Recording Module following notices that certain fraudulent scrip transfers occurred on the platform. The changes include a time-lag for the transfer of scrip from the original owner to the transferee, a time-lag for scrip transfer from one entity to another, a limit on the number of scrip transfers that can be started for transfer or accepted by each Import Export Code holder per day, and email and text notifications to IEC holders at certain points. Further, the original duty scrip holder is now required to register the duty credit scrip at the Port of Registration with Customs, the DGFT said.
China’s customs agency recently issued an updated version of certain parts of its free trade agreement with New Zealand, according to an unofficial translation of an April 2 notice. The notice includes updated provisions on determining the origin of imported and exported goods, information on tariff classifications and more. The updated provisions took effect April 7.
The Bureau of Industry and Security on April 7 suspended the export privileges of three Russian airlines for violating U.S. export controls against Russia. The agency issued 180-day temporary denial orders for Aeroflot, Azur Air and UTair, barring the airlines from participating in transactions with items subject to the Export Administration Regulations, BIS said.
The Bureau of Industry and Security is extending by 30 days the comment period for an information collection involving the Chemical Weapons Convention Regulations and the CWC’s declaration, report handbook and forms. The collection describes the purpose of the CWC and U.S. reporting obligations. Comments, originally due March 14, are now due May 5 (see 2201110021).
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative released its 2022 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers, detailing the most significant foreign market access issues facing U.S. exporters. The report examines a range of import policies, tariffs, customs procedures and phytosanitary measures that are restricting U.S. goods, including China’s new “opaque and burdensome” facility registration requirements.
The U.K. amended one entry under its Russia sanctions regime and removed another, in a March 30 notice. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation amended the listing for Sergey Pavlovich Ivanov, changing his middle name from Borisovich to Pavlovich. OFSI also dropped a duplicate of the listing for Aleksander Aleksandrovich Mikheev. It said the original listing for Mikheev continues to apply and is still subject to an asset freeze.
U.S. export controls against Russia have proven to be effective more quickly than expected, said Thea Kendler, the Bureau of Industry and Security's assistant secretary for export administration. While the U.S. restrictions have hit key Russian industrial and defense inputs, Kendler said a major reason behind their success has been the substantial buy-in from allies in Europe and Asia.
During a hearing with the House Ways and Means Committee March 30, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai was asked by many Republicans and a few Democrats why the administration has ruled out cutting tariffs to convince negotiating partners in Asia to open their markets, and why it has shied away from continuing free trade agreement negotiations started during the previous administration.
The U.S. can take several steps to increase its export control pressure against Russia, including expanding certain restrictions to capture a wider range of end-users in Russia beyond the military, said Matt Borman, a senior official at the Bureau of Industry and Security. Borman also stressed that Chinese companies on the Entity List still have much to lose if they aid Russia, including a complete ban from U.S. exports, financing and other services.
The U.K. released guidance to help traders navigate the additional duties placed on a number of goods originating in Russia and Belarus. So far, the U.K. has imposed an additional 35% duty on a host of products from these countries and it intends to implement more duties on fish from Russia and Belarus. The Department for International Trade's guidance walks traders through exemptions from additional duties that apply to goods from Russia and Belarus that have completed export formalities and left the countries before March 25.