A new European Union export control framework centered around tightening limits on trade in dual-use items and enhancing the bloc's ability to protect human rights and support secure strategic item supply chains took effect Sept. 9, the EU said. The regulation increases the level of consultations and reporting between EU member states and the European Commission, which will in turn aid the development of an EU electronic licensing system that has already been piloted in four member states, the EC said.

Turkey, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Ukraine have aligned themselves with the European Union's sanctions regime on Guinea-Bissau, the European Council said in a Sept. 8 news release. On Aug. 5, the EC dropped two individuals, Navy Cmdr. Bion Na Tchongo and Capt. Paulo Sunsai, from the sanctions regime. Both listings originally were made in 2012 (see 2108100012). The aligning countries will "ensure that their national policies conform to this Council Decision," the EC said.

Grace periods imposed by the United Kingdom for trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland were extended while negotiations continue over one of Brexit's most fraught issues, according to a Sept. 6 statement from Brexit minister and British member of Parliament David Frost. Chilled meats and fresh sausages were in line to face a ban from entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the U.K. at the end of September, while other food products faced additional customs inspections. "The Government will continue to operate the [Northern Ireland] Protocol on the current basis," Frost said. "This includes the grace periods and easements currently in force."

The United Kingdom's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation removed Khalifa Muhammad Turki Al-Subaiy from its ISIL and al-Qaida sanctions listings in a Sept. 7 notice. Al-Subaiy is a "Qatar-based terrorist financier and facilitator," who's provided support to senior al-Qaida leadership. He was released from prison in Qatar.

The European Commission allowed Hubei Fomdas Foods Co. to receive the individual antidumping rate given to Toyoshima Share Yidu Foods Co. after the commission found that Hubei properly changed its name from Toyoshima. Per an implementing regulation, the EC said that Hubei properly registered its name change and the change did not result in any new relationship with other companies not investigated by the commission. Hubei is subject to the antidumping duty order on certain prepared or preserved citrus fruits (namely mandarins) from China.

The European Commission terminated a review of an extension on antidumping and countervailing duties on imports of biodiesel consigned from Canada, it announced in a Sept. 3 implementing regulation. Verbio Diesel Canada Corp. on July 2 asked to withdraw its own request for review. Verbio will no longer register its imports and imports of its subject products will be assessed the country-wide antidumping duty rate for all-other companies, retroactive from the date of initiation of the review investigation, the EC said.

The European Commission in a Sept. 3 notice announced the impending expiration of antidumping duty measures on tungsten carbide, fused tungsten carbide and tungsten carbide simply mixed with metallic powder from China, unless a review of the duties is initiated. European Union manufacturers can submit a written request for a review up to three months before the duty's June 3, 2022, expiration date.

The United Kingdom's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation added an individual and an entity to its Myanmar sanctions list for perpetuating human rights violations in the country, including the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya Muslim minority population, it said in a Sept. 2 notice. OFSI added arms dealer Tay Za and the Htoo Group of Companies that he owns to the sanctions regime, subjecting them to an asset freeze and travel ban.

Pork exporters in the United Kingdom can now ship their goods to Mexico, opening up a more than $69 million market, the U.K.'s Department for International Trade said Sept. 2. As part of the decision-making process, Mexican National Department for Health, Safety and Agricultural and Food Quality inspected facilities in the U.K., DIT said Sept. 2. Inspections were led by the U.K. Export Certification Partnership and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and hosted by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, DIT said. A decision to approve four processing facilities and four associated cold stores in England and Wales capped four years of negotiations and inspections, DIT said

The European Commission reimposed an antidumping duty on threaded, molded pipe fittings, malleable and spheroidal graphite cast iron from China manufactured by Jinan Meide Castings Co., Ltd., in a Sept. 2 regulation, according to an unofficial translation. The duty was imposed following a decision from the General Court of the European Union.