The U.K.’s financial oversight agency fined Starling Bank nearly 28 million pounds, or almost $40 million, for a “shockingly lax” set of screening controls that led it to onboard thousands of “high-risk” customers with possible ties to sanctions.

LONDON -- Officials at a defense industry conference last week were complimentary of defense export control reforms recently announced by the U.S., Australia and the U.K., but they also said the three governments can do more to incentivize companies to make use of the reforms.

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The Bureau of Industry and Security is expanding its Validated End User program to include a new export authorization for data centers, which could allow certain preapproved data facilities to more quickly obtain advanced semiconductors and other U.S.-controlled items with artificial intelligence uses.

The Bureau of Industry and Security fined First Call International, a Texas-based provider of defense and aerospace items, after the company modified a document to make it appear like it was complying with U.S. export control regulations. BIS also said the business illegally exported military aircraft parts to Malaysia and South Korea.

The Bureau of Industry and Security reached a $151,875 settlement with Quantum Corp., a California-based data storage and management company, after it allegedly committed 45 violations of the antiboycott provisions of the Export Administration Regulations.

LONDON -- Members of the German defense industry want the country to expand a trilateral agreement on export controls among Germany, France and Spain, which could help remove defense trade barriers with a range of other nations, both inside and outside the EU.

The U.K. fined property management company Integral Concierge Services Limited 15,000 British pounds, or about $20,000, for helping a client designated under the U.K.’s Russia sanctions regime manage a residential property. The company was accused of being “unaware” of its sanctions compliance obligations and making “no attempt to educate itself on its legal obligations” after its client was sanctioned.

The Bureau of Industry and Security rejected an appeal from Alexey Sumchenko for a temporary denial order issued against him in June after an administrative law judge said BIS “successfully demonstrated” that the denial order was needed to prevent an “imminent” violation of U.S. export controls.

LONDON -- The EU is hoping to soon make progress on several export control initiatives, including possible updates to its restrictions over intangible technology transfers and how countries coordinate on emerging technologies, a senior European Commission trade official said this week. It’s also planning to publish a collection of detailed export licensing data as well as new guidelines for exports of cyber-surveillance items before the end of the year.