On March 4, 2021, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) reported that the United States and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement announcing a four-month suspension of tariffs related to the ongoing large civilian aircraft dispute. They are taking this action “to ease the burden on industry and take a bold, joint step towards resolving the longest running disputes at the World Trade Organization.” The joint statement continued: The United Kingdom ceased…
Following the designations announced 18 February (see our recent post), the UK has designated 5 further individuals under the Myanmar/Burma sanctions regime: Tin Aung SanMaung Maung KyawAung Lin DweMoe Myint TunYe Win Oo The UK has also updated the listing details for Min Aung Hlaing (previously designated, and remaining subject to asset freeze measures). In addition, the existing designation for Bi Sidi Souleman under the UK’s Central African Republic sanctions regime has also been amended.
Baker McKenzie’s Global Supply Chain Compliance Blog recently published a post entitled, “UK, US and Canadian Governments Announce New Measures Over Alleged Xinjiang, China Human Rights Concerns”. The new blog post can be found here. The post outlines recent measures introduced by the governments of the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada in response to the alleged human rights violations taking place in Xinjian, China. The new measures implemented by these governments include enhanced due diligence requirements…
UK sanctions On 18 February 2021, the UK announced sanctions against Myanmar military generals for serious human rights violations, which come into force immediately. The Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has announced there are 3 individuals subject to immediate asset freezes and travel bans for serious human rights violations by the military and police force (these are in addition to the current 16 sanctioned individuals). These individuals are: General Mya Tun Oo (Minister of Defence)Lt General Soe Htut…
On February 12, 2021, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) published in the Federal Register a notice stating that the USTR together with the affected United States industry have agreed that it is unnecessary at this time to revise the action in the Section 301 investigation involving the enforcement of US rights in the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute involving Large Civil Aircraft subsidies provided by certain current or former member States…
On 31 December 2020, the UK’s Brexit transition period with the EU ended, and the UK became a third country with respect to the EU from a sanctions and export controls perspective. The UK now has its own autonomous sanctions and export control regimes – closely related to the EU’s regimes, but with important differences and complexities that clients need to be aware of. We have written an alert that summarises the key considerations for companies in…
On January 21, 2021, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) published in the Federal Register individual determinations regarding whether the Digital Services Taxes (DST) of Austria, Spain and the United Kingdom are actionable pursuant to Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. Austria: USTR has determined that Austria’s DST is unreasonable or discriminatory and burdens or restricts US commerce and thus is actionable under Section 301. Based on information obtained during…
On 12 January 2021, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced new measures to ensure that UK companies are neither complicit in, nor profit from, alleged human rights violations in Xinjiang, China. See press release here. Under the new measures, the UK will review export controls in order to prevent exports of goods potentially contributing, either directly or indirectly, to alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang. This review will determine specific items that will become subject to…
On January 12, 2021, Global Affairs Canada announced that the Hon. François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Hon. Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion, and International Trade announced measures related to the human rights situation in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Canada is gravely concerned with evidence and reports of human rights violations in the People’s Republic of China involving members of the Uyghur ethnic minority and other minorities within the…
On December 30, 2020, the US Trade Representative (USTR) posted on its website an advance copy of a Federal Register notice [Docket No. USTR-2020-0042] that USTR has determined to revise the action being taken in the Section 301 investigation, “Enforcement of US WTO Rights in Large Civil Aircraft Dispute,” to mirror the approach taken by the European Union (EU) in exercising its World Trade Organization (WTO) authorization in the Boeing dispute. In implementing this approach,…