The latest on Russia sanctions from the International Trade and Supply Chain Team
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On February 24, 2023, the Biden Administration announced the imposition of additional tariffs on Russian imports of aluminum and approximately 100 other individual products.  The imposition of these additional tariffs

Continue Reading Biden Administration Increases Tariffs on Russian Aluminum and 100 Other Products on One-Year Anniversary of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) announced today new export controls and Entity List additions designed to further restrict Russia’s ability to maintain its continued war

Continue Reading BIS Issues New Export Controls and Entity List Additions Targeting Russia on One-Year Anniversary of Invasion

According to recent reports, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) has stopped granting export licenses to Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. (“Huawei”).

The U.S. government has

Continue Reading Biden Administration No Longer Approving Export Licenses to Chinese Tech Giant Huawei

On December 15, 2022, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) added 18 entities in Russia’s financial services sector to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (“SDN List”).

Continue Reading OFAC Continues to Take Aim at Russia’s Financial Sector with More SDN Designations

On June 2, 2022, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added new Russian vessels and aircraft used by Russian elites, new top Russian government officials, and their companies and operations to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List for aiding in the continued war effort by Russia against Ukraine.  Notably, these designations include more Russian government officials and oligarchs, and two of the largest mining companies in Russia, Severstal PJSC (Severstal) and Nord Gold PLC (Nord Gold).  This means that U.S. persons cannot engage in any transactions with Severstal or Nord Gold unless authorized by a license.
Continue Reading OFAC and State Department Designate Severstal, Nord Gold and Additional Russians as SDNs

On June 2, 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) updated the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”) to: (i) add 71 entities to the Entity List “for acquiring or attempting to acquire U.S.-origin items in support of Russia’s military”; (ii) issue minor revisions, corrections, and clarifications to its Russia and Belarus export controls; and (iii) increase its administrative disclosure authorities to allow the publication of charging letters prior to a resolution of an administrative case.  The changes went into effect immediately on June 2, 2022 and were published in the Federal Register on June 6, 2022 via two Final Rules available (here) and (here).
Continue Reading BIS Adds 71 Entities to Entity List; Issues Russia/Belarus Corrections and Clarifications; and Updates EAR to Allow Immediate Publication of Charging Letters

Matthew Axelrod, the Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”), told a conference held by the Society for International Affairs on May 16, 2022, that his agency is considering major policy changes to its administrative enforcement authorities.  Axelrod said the policy changes, expected to be rolled out in the next few months, are intended to incentivize export compliance by corporations under the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). 
Continue Reading BIS Considers More Public and Expensive Consequences for Companies Violating the EAR

On March 30, 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) modified and expanded a list of aircraft that have flown into Russia in apparent violation of the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”).  We more thoroughly discussed the implications of this list – which was first published on March 18, 2022 – in our blog post here.  The updated list adds 73 additional Boeing-manufactured aircraft and modifies tail and/or serial number information for 13 aircraft previously listed on March 18, 2022.  The full list of owners/operators include Aeroflot, AirBridge Cargo, Aviastar-TU, Alrosa, Atran, Azur Air, Nordstar, Nordwind, Pegas Fly, Pobeda, Rossiya, Royal Flight, S7 Airlines, and Utair (FC Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich’s private Gulfstream jet is also on the list).
Continue Reading BIS Modifies and Expands List of Russian-Controlled Aircraft Subject to the EAR Known or Suspected to Have Violated the EAR

On October 5, 2021, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) published a final rule in the Federal Register that places new controls on software and
Continue Reading BIS Imposes New Export Restrictions on Software for Biological Equipment