The European Commission and Canada on April 26 proposed new rules to help small and medium-sized enterprises take advantage of the investment dispute resolution mechanism under the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, the commission's Directorate-General for Trade announced.
The U.K. customs agency announced seven settlements with companies for their breaches of sanctions on Russia and export controls, including one exceeding $1.3 million with an unnamed exporter and related to the "export of goods in breach of" the sanctions on Russia.
The German Federal Prosecutor's Office on April 22 announced the arrest of three German nationals for allegedly working for the Chinese Secret Service and exporting a "special laser" to China without authorization in violation of the Foreign Trade Act, according to an unofficial translation. The laser is subject to the EU Dual-Use Regulation, making its unlicensed export illegal, the office said.
Under an April 22 draft order, the U.K. would be the first country to "proscribe" the Terrorgram collective, an "online network of neo-fascist terrorists who produce and disseminate violent propaganda" to encourage terrorist activity, the U.K. Home Office announced. If adopted by the Parliament, the order would take effect April 26, making it a "criminal offense to belong to, invite support for, or in certain circumstances, display articles" linked with Terrorgram. Violations could be met with up to 14 years in prison or an "unlimited fine."
Luxembourg authorities on April 23 assessed an over $841,000 administrative fine against wealth management firm Fuchs & Associés Finance S.A. for anti-money laundering and sanctions compliance violations.
The Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly called for the "establishment of an international compensation mechanism" to use confiscated Russian assets to "address the damages incurred by natural and legal persons affected, including the State of Ukraine," due to Russia's invasion. The assembly urged EU member states holding Russian assets to "actively co-operate in the prompt transfer of these assets" to the compensation mechanism, adding that states shouldn't wait until the end of the war in Ukraine. In addition, the assembly called for the "establishment of an impartial and effective international claims commission" to sort through Ukrainian claims and affected parties seeking reparation from Russia.
European countries not in the EU aligned with two recent EU sanctions moves concerning Iran and human rights abuses, the Council of the EU announced.
The Dutch Supreme Court on April 24 said it will refer two preliminary questions to the European Court of Justice concerning the effect of EU Russia sanctions on sanctioned parties' shareholder voting rights, according to an unofficial translation.
The European Parliament on April 23 issued the final approval to new regulations banning the "sale, import, and export of goods made" with forced labor (see 2403050035), the Parliament announced. The European Commission, along with member state authorities, will be able investigate "suspicious goods, supply chains, and manufactures" to find if forced labor exists in a good's supply chain.
The Parliamentary Assembly for the Council of Europe (PACE) unanimously adopted a resolution last week recommending that $300 billion in frozen Russian state assets be used to support Ukraine’s reconstruction.