The U.K. High Court of Justice on Jan. 29 ruled that disclosures of reinsurance documents from a reinsurance broker to an airplane leasing company wouldn't violate the U.K.'s Russia sanctions regime. The disclosures were related to an insurance claim on planes leased by Russian airline operators.
The U.K. on Feb. 1 added four entities to its Myanmar sanctions regime: the 101st and 77th Light Infantry divisions, Mining Enterprise 1 and Mining Enterprise 2. The infantry divisions were added for violating "the right of life of persons in Myanmar" and for carrying out arrests and torture "on the basis" of "political opinion, religious belief or ethnicity," the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation notice said. The mining enterprises were listed because of their ties with the Myanmar Security Forces.
En-Wei Eric Chang, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Taiwan, pleaded guilty Jan. 31 to conspiracy to export defense materials to Iran.
Turkey will appeal a World Trade Organization dispute panel finding against its retaliatory duties on certain U.S. goods, the WTO announced Jan. 31. Because the Appellate Body is nonfunctional as the U.S. prevents vacancies from being filled, the appeal goes "into the void." As a result, Turkey's tariffs may stand without further rebuke from the WTO.
The European Commission is proposing to extend the suspension of import duties and quotas on Ukrainian goods for another year (see 2305250017). The measures were originally enacted in June 2022 to aid Ukraine following Russia's invasion.
Rick Sofield, former partner at Vinson & Elkins, joined Debevoise & Plimpton as co-head of the national security practice based in Washington, D.C., the firm announced. Sofield will center his practice on security reviews by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. and other cross-border transactions and investments. Sofield previously was director of the Foreign Investment Review Staff for DOJ's National Security Division.
The European Council on Jan. 29 added four people and one entity to its global human rights sanctions regime and renewed its Russia-related sanctions regime for another six months.
DOJ likely will continue expanding its cooperation with foreign governments in investigating and prosecuting Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations, Miller & Chevalier lawyer John Davis said in an interview. After a year that saw DOJ cooperate with South Africa and Colombia for the first time, Davis said, the agency will seek to work with more Latin American and European nations on FCPA enforcement.
Cape Verde formally accepted the agreement on fisheries subsidies Jan. 26, the World Trade Organization announced. Fifty-six members have now accepted the deal, which is just over half the number needed to make a two-thirds majority for ratification.
The European Council on Jan. 26 adopted a negotiating mandate on the proposed regulation barring goods made with forced labor from the EU market, the council announced. The mandate included a host of changes to the regulation, including a clarification that the measure's scope would include "products offered for distance sales," the creation of a single forced labor portal and a stronger role for the European Commission in investigating the use of forced labor.