Jacob Kopnick

The Council of the European Union on May 28 renewed for another year its sanctions measures on Syria, also extending the humanitarian exemption in the restrictions regime. The sanctions now run until June 1, 2025, and cover 316 people and 86 entities. The humanitarian exemption was originally introduced in February 2023, following an earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria. The council also removed five deceased people and "one other individual" from the sanctions list.

The Council of the European Union established a new sanctions framework to target entities and people responsible for undermining democracy and committing "serious human rights violations" in Russia, it said May 27. Along with the announcement, the EU sanctioned the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation, which manages Russia's prison system, along with 19 judges, prosecutors and other judiciary members.

The U.K. reminded exporters this week that they have until June 4 to move their export declarations to the new Customs Declaration Service (CDS) platform from the Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight service. After June 4, declarations no longer can be submitted through the old service. The notice includes guidance to help companies understand how to submit a declaration through the new service and contact information exporters should use for questions.

The European Council on May 21 adopted legal measures to allow profits earned on seized Russian assets to be used to support Ukraine, the council announced May 21. The decision applies specifically to net profits from "unexpected and extraordinary revenues accruing to central securities depositories" as a result of EU sanctions on Russia.

Global law firm Dentons on May 20 announced the launch of "a comprehensive offering to support" businesses in navigating the "opportunities and challenges" from the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) partnership, a deal that is expected to lead to new defense trade exemptions and other business opportunities for companies from the three countries (see 2404300050, 2404180035 and 2405140038). The firm said it will help companies "participate in public-private partnership opportunities afforded by AUKUS and navigate funding, policy, and regulatory issues." Those may include issues relating to defense contracting, technology transfers, supply chain integration and new export markets, it said.

World Trade Organization members of the Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology elected Lithuania's Raimondas Alisauskas the 2024 chair of the group and granted the World Intellectual Property Organization "observer status," the WTO announced.

The U.K. on May 17 corrected one entry under its sanctions regime for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and another under its ISIL (Da'esh) and al-Qaida sanctions regime. The changes update identifying information for Sylvestre Mudacumura, commander of the FDLR-FOCA armed rebel group in Congo, and Radulan Sahiron, who is wanted by the Philippines for terrorism offenses.

Syrian businessperson Issam Anbouba remains subject to EU sanctions after the EU General Court on May 15 sustained his listing based on criteria issued in 2023 but annulled the criteria issued in 2022, according to an unofficial translation.

The EU General Court on May 15 rejected the Russian Direct Investment Fund's (RDIF's) challenge to the bloc's prohibition on investing in projects financed by the fund.

The U.K.'s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation on May 16 said it has "withdrawn" its sanctions regime on Burundi, and it's "no longer in force." The sanctions, initially issued in 2015 and last updated in July 2022, include designations for human rights abuses by those who obstructed "the search for a peacefull solution to the political situation in Burundi."