On October 6, 2022, the Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement issued a policy aimed at enhancing enforcement of the antiboycott rules administered by the US Department of Commerce (“Commerce”). The following day a final rule came into effect updating Commerce’s guidance on charging and penalty determinations related to violations of the antiboycott provisions of the Export Administration Regulations (the “EAR”). The changes are intended to bring penalty determinations in line with Commerce’s current view of…
On June 9, 2021, the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) issued a final rule, effective June 8, amending the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”) to reflect the formal termination by the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”) of its participation in the Arab League Boycott of Israel (the “Amendment”). This means that certain requests for information, action or agreement from the UAE will no longer be presumed to be boycott-related if made after…
On April 8, 2021, the US Treasury Department published an updated List of Countries Requiring Cooperation With An International Boycott (the “Treasury List”). Significantly, Treasury announced that it had removed the UAE from the Treasury List following the UAE’s repeal of its law requiring participation with the Arab League Boycott of Israel and subsequent implementation of the new policy. In connection with its establishment of full diplomatic ties with Israel last year under the UAE-Israel…
On 5 January 2021, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and the rest of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, along with Egypt, signed the “Al-Ula Declaration” at the 41st GCC Summit held in the city of Al-Ula, paving the way for the re-establishment of political and economic ties with the State of Qatar. This marks the end of a three-year dispute which began on 5 June 2017, and reinforces…