The EU applauded a recent move by the U.S. to lift restrictions on certain plant imports from 21 member states after finding the regions were free from two pests (see 2406110052), and it's asking the U.S. to continue removing the restrictions for other EU countries. The European Commission said it helped “negotiate the removal” of the U.S. import restrictions, which "underscores the cooperative efforts between the EU and US to ensure the safety and quality of traded agricultural products." But it noted that Finland, Austria, Croatia, France, Germany and Italy are still under restrictions. "The Commission continues to work with the US on the EU’s remaining demand," it said.
The U.K.'s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation on June 25 removed sanctions from Aleksei Nikolaevich Filippovskii, director of PJSC Alrosa, a company operating in Russia's mining sector. The U.K. had sanctioned Filippovskii for working in a "sector of strategic significance" to the Russian government. OFSI didn't provide more information.
Japan recently announced sanctions and export restrictions on people and companies for aiding Russian war efforts against Ukraine, including parties in China, India, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, according to an unofficial translation of a notice from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
The EU launched an online tool with "easy-to-access information on the rules governing public procurement for contracting entities in the EU Member States." The tool, called Procurement for Buyers, will help entities "understand and apply international procurement rules in a clear and consistent manner," and will help them find out which bidders are eligible to participate in the public procurement procedures in EU member states, "based on the provisions of the WTO Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) and bilateral EU trade agreements."
The EU extended its steel safeguard measure until June 30, 2026, the European Commission's Directorate-General for Trade announced. The measure imposes tariff rate quotas "above which a 25% duty is levied on imports." The TRQs were imposed in response to the U.S. Section 232 measures.
Joly Germine of Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, was sentenced to 35 years in prison for his role in a scheme to illegally export firearms to Haiti and for laundering money paid for U.S. hostages held by the Haitian gang 400 Mawozo, DOJ announced.
South Africa requested the establishment of two dispute panels to review EU restrictions on South African citrus fruit at the June 24 Dispute Settlement Body, marking the first time South Africa has used the dispute settlement system, the World Trade Organization announced. The measures are import restrictions to control the spread of the false coding moth and a fungus called the "citrus black spot."
The Council of the European Union on June 24 sanctioned six people for cyberattacks on information systems involving "critical infrastructure, critical state functions, the storage or processing of classified information and government emergency response teams in EU member states." The individuals include members of Callisto, a group of Russian military intelligence offers carrying out cyber operations on EU member states and third countries. Others include members of the Armageddon hacker group, which is backed by Russia's Federal Security Service, and two developers of the Conti, Trickbot and Wizard Spider malwares.
The EU sanctioned six people for undermining "the stability and political transition of Sudan," the Council of the European Union announced June 24. The sanctions come amid fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. The council sanctioned Abdulrahman Juma Barakallah, an RSF general commanding troops in West Darfur, along with the RSF's financial adviser and a "prominent tribal leader." Related to the SAF, the council sanctioned the director general of sanctioned company Defense Industry System, Sudanese Air Force Commander El Tahir Mohamed El Awad El Amin and former Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Ahmed Karti Mohamed.
The EU this week unveiled its 14th sanctions package against Russia for its war on Ukraine, including new due diligence rules for companies with counterparties that may be selling to Russia. The package also includes new measures to prevent sanctions evasion, new import and export controls, a set of servicing restrictions on certain Russian energy shipments, designations of more than 100 people and entities, and more.