Canada will again impose additional temporary import requirements for U.S.-origin romaine lettuce, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service said in a report this month. The requirements, which Canada also has imposed in previous years (see 2109280034 and 2308070019), will allow Canadians to import romaine lettuce from the Salinas Valley counties of Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey or San Benito only if the lettuce tests negative for “E. coli O157:H7.” The requirements will be in effect Sept. 26 through Dec. 28.
Canadian traders should prepare for increased scrutiny from the country’s customs agents for a range of imports in the coming months, and should consider conducting an “internal compliance review” to make sure they’re complying with all duties and trade laws, Baker McKenzie said in a July 25 client alert.
A Massachusetts financial services firm agreed to pay a nearly $7.5 million penalty after the Office of Foreign Assets Control accused its subsidiary of revising dates on invoices to skirt certain financial restrictions on dealings in new Russia-related debt. OFAC said the company’s 38 violations of the Ukraine-/Russia-Related Sanctions Regulations involved more than $1.2 million worth of invoices for companies owned by Russia’s Sberbank and VTB Bank.
U.S. intelligence agencies are warning American emerging technology startups about the risks of accepting certain foreign investments, saying “foreign threat actors” from China and elsewhere are using those investments as a guise to steal sensitive technology.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., questioned a senior Bureau of Industry and Security official this week about whether the agency would consider using its foreign direct product rule to impose more license restrictions on foreign exports of advanced chipmaking equipment to China.
New rules from the Commerce and State departments could lead to a range of new restrictions on U.S. support for certain foreign military intelligence and security services, increasing export licensing requirements for activities that could give U.S. adversaries a “critical military or intelligence advantage.”
The Bureau of Industry and Security is expanding its export controls to make more items subject to license requirements under its Iran foreign direct product rule, increasing its Iran-related restrictions under the Export Administration Regulations. The final rule, which was released July 24 but took effect July 23, implements certain provisions in the wide-ranging national security bill President Joe Biden signed into law in April (see 2404240043).
Alabama resident and business owner Ray Hunt pleaded guilty this month to conspiring to illegally export U.S.-origin goods to Iran, DOJ announced. Hunt was charged in December after the agency said Hunt conspired to ship parts used in the oil and gas industry to Iran and submitted false export information to the U.S. government (see 2211300011). Hunt faces a maximum five-year prison sentence.
The Census Bureau emailed tips last week on how to address the most frequent messages generated this month in the Automated Export System.
The EU General Court last week annulled three European Council decisions sanctioning Vladimir Rashevsky, former CEO and director of mineral fertilizer giant EuroChem. The court didn't consider the most recent listing decision imposing sanctions on Rashevsky.