On February 18, 2026, the Government of Canada announced amendments to the Special Economic Measures (Syria) Regulations (“the Regulations”). These amendments lift broad economic prohibitions linked to the former Assad regime that had been in place since May 2011, easing restrictions on trade, investment, and the provision of financial and other services, including telecommunications monitoring and petroleum‑related transactions. The amendments also remove 24 entities and one individual from Schedule I of the Regulations to reduce…
While Canada continues to expand its trading relationships through FTAs, the future of its most significant FTA, the USMCA/CUSMA, and its trading relationships with the United States and China remains uncertain. Canadian importers and exporters face continued regulatory changes (e.g. customs valuation amendments, novel sanctions reporting requirements, supply chain reporting) and administrative changes (e.g. CARM, ACE Portal) in a rising protectionist trade environment. The Carney administration has continued to roll out policy and economic initiatives to respond…
On August 28, 2025, Canada announced amendments to the Special Economic Measures (Moldova) Regulations (the “Regulations”) sanctioning Russian collaborators in Moldova. The amendments list an additional sixteen individuals and two entities under the Schedule of the Regulations and took effect on August 28, 2025. These sanctions are announced in the context of Moldova’s upcoming parliamentary elections, which will be held on September 28, 2025, and are aimed at individuals who are stated to have been actively participating in…
Baker McKenzie’s Canadian international trade and customs team is publishing a series of articles reviewing 2024 trade and customs compliance developments and looking ahead to 2025’s burgeoning issues. This article focuses on Canada’s export controls regime. Before we dive into the export controls outlook, here is an overview of the current state of politics in Canada, which includes a discussion of the legislative powers that remain while Canadian Parliament is prorogued until March 24, 2025.…