The United Kingdom on Oct. 27 updated its guidance on the transition of its trade remedies policy after the U.K. leaves the European Union Jan. 1, 2021. The U.K. said it will not maintain EU antidumping measures on imports of certain “steel road wheels” from China because the measure “no longer meets the criteria of the Call for Evidence.”

The European Union applauded the ceasefire agreement in Libya but threatened sanctions if the fighting continues or if the United Nations arms embargo against Libya is violated, the EU said Oct. 25. “The European Union and its Member States call on all international and regional actors to support the Libyan efforts unequivocally, refrain from foreign interference in the Libyan conflict and stop the violations of the UN arms embargo,” the EU said. “In this regard, the EU recalls its instrument of sanctions against possible spoilers.” The EU recently designated a Russian businessman for violating the embargo (see 2010150010).

Turkey recently amended its customs regulations to address situations wherein certificates of origins are not attached to a declaration, KPMG said in an Oct. 20 post. In those situations, the country’s government will allow traders to submit the certificate to the customs authority within six months, KPMG said. The change took effect Oct. 20.

The European Council called on the European Commission to “swiftly” draft a “major crisis contingency plan” for Europe’s freight transportation sector to better respond to crises. The plan should ensure the European Union can maintain cross-border freight transport operations and ensure the free movement as well as the health and safety of transport workers, the council said Oct. 23. It should also include a set of “best-practice” guidelines and a “coherent regulatory framework” to create exemptions for freight transporters when “other major crisis situations arise.”

The European Union formally announced a joint proposal for an EU-wide human rights sanctions regime, which would give member states “greater flexibility” to target human rights abuses, the European Commission said Oct. 19. The regime is expected to include asset freezes and travel bans, and give the commission oversight of the implementation of certain bans. Although the regime would include new sanctions, it would “not replace existing geographic sanctions regimes,” the commission said, some of which already target human rights violations in countries like Syria, Venezuela and Belarus.

The United Kingdom on Oct. 20 updated its guidance for European Union businesses seeking to trade with the U.K. after the Brexit transition period ends at the end of this year. The guidance now includes updated sections on buying and selling goods, value-added taxes, and importing animal and plant products. It also covers copyright laws and other legal matters.

A former U.S. ambassador to the European Union and the German envoy to the U.S. said a united front on China's trade distortions could make it more painful for that country to continue its current industrial policies. “With the rise of China and the relative decline of Western power it should be in our shared interest to use each other as an asset to leverage our power,” said Emily Haber, Germany's ambassador.

The United Kingdom signed an economic and trade deal with Cote d’Ivoire to continue existing trade agreements after the end of the Brexit transition period, the U.K. said Oct. 15. The agreement will allow businesses “to trade as freely as they do now, without any additional barriers or tariffs,” the U.K. said, including “tariff free market access.”

The United Kingdom on Oct. 16 updated its list of imports from the European Union that will be controlled after the end of the Brexit transition period. The list now provides “more detail” about which goods will be controlled beginning next year, including information on controlled drugs, excise goods, drug precursor chemicals, toxic chemicals, fishery products, explosives, firearms, military goods and nuclear materials.

The United Kingdom issued Oct. 16 guidance on exporting dual-use goods to the European Union after Brexit and reminded exporters to register for an open general export license. U.K. exporters should check whether their items are on the dual-use control list, which includes goods relating to nuclear materials, electronics, telecommunications, navigation equipment, marine equipment, software and technology. An exporter whose goods are captured by that list needs to register for an OGEL, which will “enable multiple shipments of these controlled items to any EU member state,” the U.K. said. The license does not expire, but exporters may be “audited on its use” by U.K. compliance officers. Dual-use items that do not have the license may be stopped at customs, the U.K. said.