On Monday 6 July 2020, the UK introduced the first sanctions under its new Global Human Rights sanctions regime, targeting 47 individuals and 2 entities. The regulations setting out the sanctions are made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 (the “Sanctions Act”) and impose asset freezes and travel bans on individuals and entities responsible for or involved in serious violations of human rights. The Sanctions Act was introduced to allow the UK to…
On 6 April 2020, the European Commission adopted Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/502 (the “Implementing Regulation”) introducing additional tariffs on certain products originating from the US. This was adopted in retaliation to the further safeguard measures in the form of tariff increases, adopted by the United States on 24 January 2020, in relation to imports of certain derivative aluminium and steel products which took effect with unlimited duration on 8 February 2020. Effective May 2020, the…
On 3 April 2020, the European Commission issued its Decision granting relief from customs duty and import VAT exemptions for equipment necessary for combating the COVID-19 outbreak, following its announcement of its intention to do so on 20 March 2020 (please see our previous blog post here). Goods will only be exempt from customs duty and import VAT if they: are imported by or on behalf of State organisations, or by or on behalf of…
On 30 January 2020, the Swiss Federal Council announced the first successful pilot transaction under the proposed Swiss Humanitarian Trade Arrangement (SHTA), a payment mechanism designed to enable the delivery of humanitarian goods to Iran. The SHTA was developed by Switzerland since autumn 2018 with the cooperation of relevant US and Iranian authorities, along with selected Swiss and interested banks. Â Once finally agreed and implemented, it will become the first US OFAC-consented humanitarian trade arrangement,…